One Moment In Time
by RiverCity
Summary: This is the first in a trilogy of stories that is set in an alternate universe. It begins with the first meeting of Alexis Davis and Sonny Corinthos. This story will be followed by 'Through Portals of Time' and then conclude with 'Legacy of Time'.
1. Chapter 1

This is the first story I ever wrote. It is not my work, but I do think it is a good story. There are 2 other stories that combine to make this a trilogy. 'One Moment In Time' is the first. It is followed by 'Through Portals of Time' and finishes with 'Legacy of Time'. As it was written almost 5 years ago, there are characters involved that are now either dead or gone. I have taken liberties and written it an alternate universe type setting. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1

Day was almost at its end as Alexis sat alone in her apartment starring out toward the sun as it slowly sank toward the horizon. It was the time of day she loved the most. It was a special time to reflect on the events of her day, to evaluate each action, each word, each moment. And the questions always came without hesitation, with care and great consideration. Did I take care of business today honorably? Did I care for those who I came in contact with to the best of my ability? Were my words honest and true? Were my actions those that my mother would be proud of?

Alexis Davis measured her day by what she thought would have pleased her mother. Many years were now passed since she lost her mother in a horrible and tragic way. Through those years she trained herself not to think of her mothers death and how it happened. She only allowed herself to remember how she felt in her mother' s embrace. She remembered her mothers touch, how her mother's arms felt every evening when she embraced her before succumbing to slumber. She remembered her gentle voice and laughter as they ran and chased each other around the park. Even now, if she sat quiet long enough and focused hard enough, she could still remember the fragrance of her mother. It was the soothing aromatic scent of a garden full of gardenias.

It was her personal ritual at the close of each day to be where she needed to be in order to watch the sun set and remember her mother. Wherever she was and with whomever, always her mother came first. To be the kind of daughter Kristin Bergman would be proud of was Alexis' most precious and highest priority.

She became a lawyer because of her mother. And even though she never allowed herself to think of the circumstances of her mother's death, it was because of that one event that Alexis decided at an early age she would become a champion of those who could not defend themselves. When she passed the bar and began to build her own private practice she restricted her clientele to those who were unable to defend their personal rights. Alexis made a name for herself in the defense of children. In the few short years since she began her practice, Alexis not only made a name for herself in New York as the city's most prominent attorney; but she was known all over the world as a force to be reckoned with when it came to the protection of children against the horrors of life. Her stellar record stood on its own merit.

She was proud of her legal record. So far she had been able to win every case she accepted and so many children's lives were now changed for the better. But, as it so often happens with those who make their career their life; Alexis was alone. She put so much of herself into her work that there was no time for a social life and she was now suddenly finding herself very tired. She needed a break from her practice. She needed time to recuperate and replenish herself.

Tonight as she watched the sun finally reach its destination behind the horizon, Alexis felt the loneliness more intensely than at any time previous. It wasn't often that she let go and allowed her emotions to escape the confines of the many walls she constructed around herself for protection. There had been so much pain in her life. So much taken from her, so much damage done that the time finally came when Alexis decided enough was enough. She was tired of being a doormat for anyone who chose to use her in that manner. And in that one moment, Alexis chose to close the door to her heart and no one had been able to open it since.

She dated from time to time, but she was very careful about who she chose to be seen with in public. More often than not, dating for Alexis was either a social requirement needed to further the status of a case or at times to squelch the never-ending tabloid scandals that inevitably followed people of influence.

There was a litany of responses she perfected over the years to dodge any questions of a personal nature. But it was the questions regarding family that were stopped before they were barely begun with cool detachment. Alexis dealt with questions regarding her family as if they were no more than insistent droning mosquitoes. They were verbally slapped down and put to rest. And yes, Alexis had family whether she chose to acknowledge it or not.

There was a brother who once too often turned his back on her when she didn't comply with his idea of what was right or proper. She also had a nephew, Nicholas, whom she adored, but was unable to have contact with since her brother, Stephan sent her into exile from the family estate. And then there was Stephan's mother; a woman so heartless and evil that if you ever had the misfortune of being caught in the same room with her, your life became expendable, unimportant. She made it known by every word, every move of her body, every expression of her face, you were nothing; a gnat to be swatted into nonexistence.

Alexis had been on the receiving end of Helena's wrath on more than one occasion during her childhood years. And because of it there were gaps in Alexis' memory. Days she couldn't remember. Scars on her body she couldn't explain. But, she stopped trying to remember years ago. When she tried to remember, her nights became terror filled with nightmares that revealed just enough to cause her to awake screaming in agony with her body dripping with the perspiration of fear.

So, in order to protect herself Alexis set about burying and concealing any thought or memory that might cause her harm in any way. And she did it so successfully that anyone who had every come in contact with her professionally or personally thought her to be a capable, efficient, self-assured, well-rounded woman. Alexis had done a remarkable job of hiding Natasha Cassadine from the world.

No one knew that Alexis Davis reinvented herself the day she was accepted into the Harvard law program. She stepped onto the campus leaving her true identity, and the pain it caused back in Greece on a small island. She never wanted to return and had made a promise to herself that she wouldn't. She kept that promise and here it was 20 years later and whether she wanted to admit it or not Natasha was still just as much a part of her now as she had ever been.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Alexis woke up with the sun's warmth lingering on her face. She yawned and stretched to awaken her body to a new day. As she lay there basking in the sunlight streaming through the window she looked to the days activities, mentally preparing herself for what was to be a long day. She needed to be in court at 10:00 to defend the rights of an 11 year old little boy who had been physically abused by his mother. The case had become very special to Alexis. The little boy for some reason unknown to her touched a chord deep inside her heart. She didn't know why, there was no explanation for it. All she knew was that he had to be saved from his mother. She would not allow the courts to send Matthew back to the abuse he was forced to live in on a daily basis. She knew what she needed to do and she knew how she was going to accomplish it. There was no doubt in her mind that Matthew would be safe, in his father's custody, by the end of the day.

As she lay there thinking about Matt she suddenly remembered that her newest secretary, Ann, had informed her at the close of yesterdays business that she made an appointment with a new client for this afternoon at 3:00. A grievous error that Alexis dealt with quickly. Before anyone was allowed an appointment with Alexis they were to be screened first. Ann not only failed to complete the initial appointment questionnaire while the client was on the phone, she also failed to acquire information regarding what services the client was requesting.

Her secretary now knew that all potential clients were to be put through a screening process before an actual appointment was confirmed and in the future if the process was not adhered to then her services as a secretary would no longer be needed. Therefore, Ann's first job of the day was to spend the morning trying to get information on the client before the actual appointment time.

By the time Alexis showered and enjoyed her first cup of coffee it was 8:30 and she was regretting lying in bed so long. It was not a normal practice for Alexis to sleep in, but her musings of the night before had left her exhausted and her night proved to be more fitful than usual. But, today was a new day, fresh with no mistakes in it; another day to prove her worth. Alexis finished her cup of coffee and climbed the stairs to get dressed for the day.

Since she was meeting a new client she wanted to make sure her best power suit was in good condition. Alexis was very conscious of the fact that first impressions could make or break a deal. First impressions were what made the difference in who held the upper hand in not only the first meeting but in all subsequent meetings and negotiations if she took a case.

Her favorite suit was a navy blue pin-strip that ended just below her knees. When she wore it she felt authoritative and commanding. The last time she had worn this particular suit she noticed that as she walked through the corridors of the courthouse she caught the attention of several men and saw a faint look of respect cross their faces. It pleased her to know that she was able to succeed in her efforts to create a self-assured and very competent persona. '_This suit will be perfect for today'_, she thought.

At 11:30, just as Alexis turned from the judge who rendered his verdict in favor of her client, she felt Matt's hand slide shyly into hers. Giving him her full attention she sat down so she could look at him on his level. During her years in dealing with children she learned that it was extremely important to gain a child's trust so they wouldn't fear her or the court processes they were forced to endure. She learned how to read and react to their body language. There were times when children needed to feel important and for an adult to come down to their level, it was something very special to a child. If someone had only cared enough to hear what she couldn't say when she was Matt's age; maybe her life would have turned out differently.

Matt let go of her hand and put both of his arms around her neck and hugged her fiercely. With tears in his eyes he whispered, "Thank you. You gave me my daddy back and I'm gonna be ok now." Alexis felt her breathe stop for a moment. As Matt started to take his arms away, Alexis did something she had never done before to any of the children she represented. She gathered him close and hugged him back. As she put her arms around Matt, she felt tears in her own eyes and couldn't remember when her arms had ever felt so full.

She held him for just a moment longer and then let go. With a husky voice filled with restrained emotion she took Matt's face between hers and very quietly told him, "If you ever need anything Matt, call me." Reaching into her briefcase she pulled out a simple embossed business card that held her name and personal phone number. As she handed him the card she looked at him very seriously and explained what she was offering. "Matt, this is my personal number. No one is to know you have it. It is just between you and I. If you ever get into trouble or someone is harming you, call me. I'll come right away. You have my word."

Matt took the card with a look of awe and reverence. He could not remember a time when anyone besides his dad had treated him as anything but a nuisance and yet here was Miss Alexis giving him her own special number. The smile he gave Alexis warmed her heart as it had not been warmed since she was a child running in the park with her mother. It was quickly becoming one of those days she didn't see very often, a special day to remember. A small precious golden moment in time!

Once Matt and his father left the courtroom, Alexis stood to pack her briefcase. It had certainly been a productive morning and she felt good. As she left the courtroom, however, she failed to notice the stranger in the back of the courtroom who watched the whole exchange between she and the little boy. And as she left the courthouse, she also didn't notice that the stranger followed her out. She was oblivious to her surroundings, she was still remembering the feel of those tiny arms shyly hugging her in gratitude and she felt the warmth once again as she smiled contentedly.

Alexis settled into a booth at the corner sandwich stop to grab a quick bite to eat before going back to the office to prepare for her 3:00 appointment. She hoped Ann had been able to get some information on the potential client she was scheduled to see. She did not like doing business with anyone she had not had the chance to run a background check on before their initial appointment.

Upon entering her office at 1:30 she called Ann into her office for a quick run down on the activities of the morning while she was in court. Nothing out of the order occurred and much to her regret, Ann was not been able to reach her 3:00 appointment. Well, she would just have to be more cautious than usual while she met with Mr. S. Corinthos.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

At 3:00 on the dot, Ann buzzed Alexis to let her know Mr. Corinthos had arrived and was waiting in the foyer.

"Show him in, Ann, but leave the door ajar just a little on your way out." Alexis wanted to be very cautious on this first meeting with someone she held no prior knowledge of.

"Good afternoon, Miss Davis, thank you for seeing me on such short notice."

Alexis put down her pen and started to rise to meet the gentleman and stopped dead in her tracks. She had never seen such an attractive man before in her life. He was about her height with black wavy hair and eyes so black you could get lost in them and never want to be found. He had a strong face with features that could melt a woman's heart and a moment later change and cause the hardest of criminals to quake in their shoes.

"Miss Davis, is there a problem?"

'_Wake up, Alexis. It's just a man. You've dealt with them before. WAKE UP_.' Her thoughts were quickly getting the best of her. She needed to pull herself together, and fast. "Uhm.. excuse me. Good afternoon, Mr. Corinthos, please have a seat. Wh... What can I do for you? ... I mean, how.. how can I help you?" '_Oh great, there goes my professionalism and what happened to the power I'm supposed to feel while wearing this stupid suit?_'

Drawing on years of training, Alexis gradually gained control and began to walk around her desk to shake hands with the gorgeous man who had just walked in and stole her breath. She slowly reached her hand out to welcome him. As he took her hand she felt a quick stab of electricity shoot up her arm. Evidently he felt it too as they both snatched their hands away at the same time.

Alexis was mortified. "I'm so sorry, new carpet was put in last week and I forgot to ground myself before I shook your hand. I'm uhm, s-s-sorry." Inwardly rolling her eyes she quietly screamed her frustration. '_Oh, Alexis, how stupid was that. Ground myself? Yea, you need grounding alright!_'

"No harm done, Miss Davis. It happens to the best of us sometimes."

As Alexis look into his eyes to see if he was actually serious. She was taken by surprise by the twinkle in his eye and the deepest sexiest dimples she had ever seen in her life. '_Oh no, girl. He is definitely trouble with a capital 'T'. You have got to pull yourself together and get this meeting back on track. A business track, that is_.'

"Please, Mr. Corinthos, have a seat and we'll begin. '_Ok, that should do it. It was professional and I don't think I stuttered once._'

Ann turned to go and as Alexis requested only partially closed the door. However, as Alexis reached her desk and turned around she noticed that not only was Mr. Corinthos right behind her but, he had also completely closed the door behind Ann. '_Oh dear, it just got a little warmer and little more confined in here. No, Alexis, it's ok. You're a grown woman and a professional. You can do this. What is that I smell? NOOOO!... it cant be. No one can smell that good at 3:00 in the afternoon. ALEXIS, GET A GRIP!_'

"Thank you, Miss Davis, and please call me Sonny."

Sonny could tell that he wasn't the only one having trouble getting through the introductions. Miss Davis was obviously having trouble as well. She seemed a little flustered and evidently she was having as much of a problem with the heat in the office as he was.

Unlike Alexis, Sonny had done his homework. Her win loss ratio was exactly why he chose this particular woman for the job he needed done. He needed the best and according to his national and international contacts Alexis Davis was the best. He just wasn't prepared for the vision that met his eyes when he walked into her office.

She was beautiful. Her eyes were only a couple of shades darker than her chestnut hair and from what he could see there was definitely the beginnings of a pair of very shapely legs. He caught himself wondering just how long those legs were. The suit she wore hugged her and although you couldn't see any of the concealed curves of her body, there was just enough suggestion to cause the imagination of any red-bloodied Cuban to run wild.

While he was busy taking in the view he never missed a single expression that crossed her face. She spoke volumes with her face without ever saying a word and what he saw only increased the pace of his blood. Sonny knew immediately that he needed to shut down the fever that was raging through him. The longer he gazed at her the more he was painfully aware of how out of control his body had become.

Slowly regaining her composure Alexis suddenly realized that by putting his first name and his last name together, the man sitting across from her was none other than Sonny Corinthos, a well-known casino owner, coffee importer, and the most respected Mob Boss in the east. '_I am going to fire that woman the moment I get out of this predicament_,' she fumed.

"Mr. Corinthos, I'm not sure you understand the nature of my practice. I am an advocate of children. All of my clients are under the age of 18. And unless I'm very much mistaken, I don' think you meet that criteria. So, if that is all, then I think we can just chalk this up as a misunderstanding and we can both get back to taking care of our very different and incompatible careers."

'_Oh, that was good'_, she thought. She managed within the space of a few minutes to recover her composure and put him in his place at the same time. She had no use for this man no matter how good he looked. Mr. Corinthos' reputation had preceded him and very little of it was good. There was a lot of smoke following him around and she had always known that where there was smoke there was fire. And she had been burnt enough in her lifetime. She didn't need Sonny Corinthos in her life at all.

"Miss Davis, as I said, please call me Sonny and I do know what kind of practice you have and I have done enough of my own research to know that you are good at what you do. And what I need from you is for you to help me get custody of my child. I will pay you whatever you want. But, I need you to know that I won't take no for an answer."

Although Alexis held her face void of any reaction to what he said, she was definitely floored by the reason for his appointment. Since when did he acquire a child? She didn't know he was married. And what made him think she would help a mob boss with his reputation gain custody of any child. All of a sudden his last statement sunk into her consciousness.

"I beg your pardon, did you actually tell me that you won't take no for an answer."

"That's exactly what you heard and if you'll give me a little of your time I'll explain why I need your services specifically and why I won't take no for an answer." Sonny knew by her expressive face that she had finally recognized him and that this wasn't going to be easy. But, he knew that when he finally left her office today it would be with her acceptance of him as her first client over the age of 18.

"Mr. Corinthos, although I am sure you have your reasons for wanting custody of your child, what you evidently do not understand is that I would not willingly put a child into a situation that I felt would be detrimental to that child. And forgive me for saying it so bluntly, but, your lifestyle is not one that would endear me to even consider placing a child anywhere near your home." Alexis was done with this arrogant, self-absorbed Cuban and she was ready to end their association immediately. "So, Mr. Corinthos, I do believe we have concluded our business, and as I do have other clients to see today, you'll excuse...

"Miss Davis, you have no idea who I am, you do not know my child, and you do not know his mother. So based on what you do not know, maybe you could come down off of that high horse of yours and give me the benefit of the doubt and listen to the background of the situation before you begin making judgements regarding a situation you know nothing about." Sonny was angry now. How dare she condemn him without even hearing his case!

Glaring icily at him, she held her silence to keep from allowing the conversation to completely degenerate. Alexis had not been so incensed with another human being in years. However, she had enough reasoning left to know that what he said, no matter how he said it, was the absolute truth. She had tried, convicted and sentenced him based on hearsay. She held no evidence of any wrong on his account or any of his associates. Alexis was wrong and she didn't like it one bit, but...

"Mr. Corinthos, you're right. I apologize for my judgements against you. I have no evidence of any wrongdoing on your part. Please forgive my breach of professional etiquette."

It was now Sonny's turn to be speechless. That was the last response he expected from her. With that one response, his respect for her grew immensely. Now he knew without a doubt, she was the only one that could help him get custody of Michael. And he wanted that more than anything. He would do anything to get Michael free from his ex-wife. But, even with the knowledge that his choice of attorney had been absolutely correct, he knew that the next couple of hours were going to be the hardest of his life. It was now up to him to convince her that he was the only one who could take care of Michael in the way that Michael needed to be taken care of.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Mr. Corinthos, why don't we begin again? How about I treat you with the respect you deserve and you show me the same courtesy and maybe we can reach an understanding."

"That's fine by me."

"First, are you married now?"

"My wife and I are separated. We have been for the last year. She lives in her own apartment with my son Michael. She refuses to sign the divorce papers."

"Why?"

"Does that matter?"

"I think you know it does. Before I agree to take on a case, I have to know every detail possible in order to build a defense that cannot be torn apart. If I don't have all of the necessary details, then I cannot provide the defense that my client deserves. And you need to understand that if I do take this case, you will not be my client. Michael will be my client. His needs will always come first regardless of what you want. Is that understood?"

Sonny was again amazed by Alexis Davis. She was no longer looking at him as a man. He was a means to get to a child that may be in trouble. Yes, Alexis had impressed Sonny. But more, than that, Sonny wondered... is this a woman I can finally trust. Can I trust her with my son's life? And even as he asked himself the question, he already knew the answer. He would tell Alexis anything she wanted to know regardless of what it cost him personally.

"Carly does not want a divorce. She can't see that if I can't trust her then its useless to try to build a marriage. Carly has placed herself in some pretty rough situations in the name of trying to prove she loves me and on more occasions than I care to admit she has used Michael to get to me."

"I'll need to know each occasion that she has done that, with all of the details surrounding each instance."

"I don't think its necessary to go into detail on some of this. It gets pretty personal."

"Ok, Mr. Corinthos, I get that you are a private man. And believe me I understand that, but we are talking about a child. A person who is not old enough to defend himself against the cruelties he is subjected to. Therefore, it becomes my job to protect him. In order to protect him, I have to know you, because from what I have gathered so far, this wife of yours will go to any lengths to get what she wants. Am I right?"

"Yes, I believe she will, and while I understand what you're saying, I need to know that I can trust you, that whatever is said here will go no further unless Michael's life depends on it. You are right! I am a very private man. I don't enjoy airing dirty laundry. In my business you keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. What I tell you could not only destroy me professionally if it were to get out, it could also put Michael, Carly, myself and possibly you in danger."

"Are you trying to frighten me, Mr. Corinthos?"

"No, I just need you to understand how serious this could get."

"I hope you realize that so far, from what I've heard, I am leaning more toward Michael being taken into foster care than left with either you or your wife ... for his protection."

It was only for a second, but Alexis saw it. She trained herself to watch for any sign of change of expressions in the people she dealt with. She was good at it and she never questioned what she saw. She went with her gut and she had always been proven right. She saw a hint of fear in Sonny's eyes when he heard the words foster care. Only for a second did she see it and just as quickly it was gone and anyone else who had been looking at Sonny would never have seen it. And she wasn't about to let him off the hook. She needed to know why.

"What is it about foster care that frightens you, Mr. Corinthos?"

Sonny's heart sank. Even as he marveled at her ability to read him he knew his most carefully guarded secrets were not safe with this woman. And that scared him even more.

"I was placed in foster care after my mother died. I will never allow Michael to be put into foster care. He is my son. He will never know what it is like to go to bed hungry or cold." Once Sonny began his story, he couldn't stop. It was as if she were pulling it out of him. He looked into her eyes when he told her he had been placed in foster care. And what he saw in her eyes enveloped him like a soft blanket. Somehow he knew that she would hold his secrets. She would hold them and care for them just as tenderly as he had all these years. So he continued.

"I was young when my mother died. She was beaten to death by my stepfather. She lived through years of his abuse. But, she wouldn't leave him. I tried to get her to. I pleaded with her, but she wouldn't go. Not even when he started beating me. One night I tried to protect her by shielding her with my body. He almost killed me that night. It wasn't long after that he finally went too far and she died with her head in my lap. The next morning they took her away and by the end of the day I was in foster care. For the first couple of weeks I was too numb to care about anything around me. I ate very little. It surprises me to this day that I didn't die of malnutrition."

"The name of the family who took me in was Garrett. They were gamblers. They took the money the state gave them to feed us and gambled it away. After a few weeks I began to fight back in the only way I knew how. I began to steal food for myself and the other foster kids in that home. The older I got, the more trouble I got into. I was an angry kid. My mother, who meant the world to me, was gone and there was no one else for me to turn to. I finally reached the end of my rope one night and pushed the limits of what the mixture of drugs and alcohol can do to a person's body. I found myself face down in a gutter semi-conscious. It was then that I saw the vision of my mother."

Sonny shifted uncomfortably in his chair before quietly continuing with a voice filled with awe. "She was so beautiful. She was dressed in a gown of white and she spoke to me. She told me that she did not raise a coward. She did not teach me to hide from life, but to face it head on and beat it. She stayed with me for a while and after a while I fell asleep with the vision of her in my head. In that gutter, that night...I slept at peace for the first time since she died. When I awoke, I made a promise to her that I would clean up my act. I would make my way in the world. I would do it any way I could. And she would never again find me face down in a gutter."

As Sonny finished his story he very carefully looked up at Alexis to see her reaction. He was afraid to see her reaction, but he needed to. What he saw caused the tears that had been threatening during his story to find their release and he didn't try to stop them. He let go. The first tears he had shed for the boy he was so long ago. And as he let them go, Alexis, without stopping her own tears, stood and walked toward Sonny and gently placed her hand on his arm and through her tears gently said, "Ok, let's talk about Michael."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Alexis sat at her desk the next morning making notes on her legal pad. She wrote quickly and decisively. A plan was formulating in her mind and if it was going to work, she needed to put into motion documents that would support Sonny's wish to be the sole custodial parent of Michael. She knew what Sonny told her about Carly, but she also needed to put her own detective in place to continue to cover the woman's activities. Alexis knew how to play dirty when she needed to. With the sort of clientele she chose to represent, she would do almost anything within the confines of the law to protect them.

She had been at it for a couple of hours and needed to sit back and rest her eyes a moment. As she leaned back in her chair she couldn't help but remember the events of the night before. The child that Sonny was so touched her heart that she had decided before he finished his story that she would do whatever she could to see that he did in fact gain custody of Michael. Any man who held that much passion, who could love as deeply as he loved his mother deserved the chance to protect his own child.

She saw more in him than he intended her to see. Alexis saw the pain that still lived in his eyes. Her heart broke for the child he once was and now understood the man he became a little better. They had stayed in her office until 9:00 that night discussing his reasons behind his wanting custody and why he needed to get Michael away from Carly. When they finished Alexis was wiped out and Sonny hadn't looked much better. They were at it for six straight hours. She hadn't even noticed when Ann closed the office for the day. She was surprised when Sonny asked to let him take her out to dinner, but she declined.

"Look," Sonny whined with dimples in place looking quite dashing, "you haven't even told me for sure if you are going to take my case. You gotta let me feed you at least."

And Alexis with a hint of a smile simply replied that she didn't dine socially with her clients and she would call him when she needed him to come in and sign the documents she would prepare for him.

They parted ways at the elevator each going their own way. Alexis back to her Manhattan apartment and Sonny back to his jet to prepare for the flight back to Port Charles.

Man he was tired. When Sonny reached the jet, he fell onto the sofa without even taking off his coat. He couldn't remember a time when he had been so emotionally drained. But, he also recognized that he was somewhat more at peace about having to discuss his fiercely protected past with a virtual stranger. But, this was different. Even though he had only met her a short few hours before, Alexis didn't feel like a stranger. It felt as if he had known her all his life and he had just placed into her care the fight of his life; the fight to keep his son.

Even as the thought crossed his mind he felt a twinge of guilt at not having told her the whole truth. He just didn't want the fight to be harder than it already was. The more he thought though, the more he knew he would not be able to keep the truth from Alexis. She was good. She would find out. And he knew, without knowing how he knew ... Alexis would probably take anything from anyone as long as they didn't lie to her or withhold the truth. And because she had been able to accept him today without any preconceived notions, he knew he would not be leaving New York until he had told her the truth.

Ann knocked on Alexis' office door and stuck her head inside with a quizzical look on her face.

"What is it, Ann?" questioned Alexis.

"He's back. Are you expecting him back?

"Who is back?"

"Mr. Corinthos!"

"Sonny Corinthos?"

"Yea, you know, the doll that walked in here yesterday that had you stuttering like a school girl."

"Ann, do you enjoy your job here?"

"Why yes, Miss Davis, I do. Why?"

"If you do indeed value your job here, then I would suggest that you hold your personal comments to yourself. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, Miss Davis. I'm sorry. What do you wish me to tell Mr. Corinthos?"

"Give me a minute and then show him in? What time is my next appointment?

"In 30 minutes."

"Please call and reschedule for tomorrow."

Alexis did not know why Sonny was back so soon. But, she wanted to make sure she allowed herself enough time to deal with any problem that may have come up since last night. Besides, she really did want to get another look at those incredible dimples.

When Sonny walked in Alexis could tell something was on his mind and it didn't look good. And she really didn't like looks like the one he was giving her. It always meant trouble.

"Mr. Corinthos? Did we miss something last night? Did you remember something else that would be beneficial to the case?"

Sonny knew he was fixing to see a fireball erupt and there was no way around it. The best way to handle this was to just say what he had to say and handle the fallout as best he could. He knew from his time with her yesterday that Alexis was a reasonable person. She would calm down and simply handle the news in a professional manner. He hoped.

"Miss Davis, I neglected to give you a vital piece of information yesterday that is going to have a dramatic effect on the way you handle this case. And after I got back to the plane, the more I thought about it the more I realized that you need to hear it from me and not from someone else."

"Alright, Mr. Corinthos, you have my undivided attention."

"Michael is not my biological son."

"WHAT?"

"He is the son of my wife, Carly and Jason Morgan."

Alexis started to pace as she usually did when her mind was given an overload of information that she needed to process quickly. As she turned to walk back toward her desk she ran right into Sonny. "Excuse me, can you give me a little room, please?"

"Just how mad are you, Alexis?" asked Sonny as he gingerly stepped back out of her way.

"Enough to tell you that at this moment you are not free to use my first name. I'll let you know when you can. Sit down!"

Sonny knew that it would be ok. He could tell by her voice that she was irritated. It had an edge to it, but it was her eyes he was looking at. Upon hearing his news, he saw the sudden anger, but she immediately began processing the information to see how it could be dealt with. So Sonny just sat back and waited until she was ready to talk. This woman not only had a quick wit, but she was smart. No, that wasn't quite right. She was more than just smart; the word he was looking for was intelligent. Yes, Sonny knew without a doubt that Alexis would work this out and it would be done quickly and neatly, without holes.

Alexis paced until she calmed down and could once again reason with the additional news Sonny brought her. But what Sonny was unaware of, was that during all of the pacing that Alexis just put herself through, it had only taken a few moments to process his bombshell. The rest of the time her thoughts were not on Michael, Jason or Carly; that would come later. Her thoughts had been on Sonny. Why didn't he tell her last night? Why didn't he just pick up a phone and call her with the additional information? Was he able to figure out on his own that lies were not something she would tolerate? Who was this man who was sitting in her office?

Alexis knew that Sonny did not offer information readily. And although he knew this information was critical to her case and had the potential to shut him down completely he had also knew it was important for her to hear it from him. What this information clearly meant to him and why he felt the need to hide it from her yesterday was at this moment more important to her. She correctly came to the conclusion that Sonny had decided to trust her completely. He had just placed into her hands the love he held for Michael. He trusted her to make things right and she would. Not just for Michael, but for Sonny as well. She turned and went back to stand behind her desk and waited until Sonny brought his gaze up to her face and as she locked her gaze on his beautiful dark eyes she quietly and emphatically stated her rules.

"Ok. Number one: If it has to do with this case, it had better be on the table before you leave this office today. Number two: If there is anything that you feel you cannot trust me with that has a direct bearing on this case then go find yourself another lawyer. And Number three: If you ever lie to me again or deceive me again, I repeat find yourself another lawyer. Do we understand each other, Mr. Corinthos?

"Yes, Miss Davis, we do?

Alexis looked back down at her desk so Sonny would not see her smile. "Fine then, you may now use my first name when you address me."

Sonny was beside himself. He was relieved that he had gauged her reaction to his news correctly, but did not miss her tiny smile as she lowered her gaze to her desk. He was trying hard not to laugh, but in his effort not to do so he made a noise in his throat that caused Alexis to look up. With one look at those gorgeous dimples and his obvious attempt to keep his laughter in check, she folded and they both enjoyed a good laugh together. They were finding common ground and it felt good. As they looked at each other across her desk, they both knew that they had begun a journey together and regardless of the obstacles they knew would come during their journey, they were eager to see where it would lead them.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Two weeks passed since she saw Sonny, but it was a full two weeks. She spent the time settling all of the cases she was currently working on then cleared her calendar so she could devote her time toward seeing to the care of Michael Corinthos. For the first time in her career she was aware that it wasn't just for the sake of a child that she was devoting so much time and energy to a case. The detective she put on Carly had reported in several times. Carly was doing a lot of damage and not just to Michael. With each report, Alexis was methodically building a case for Michael that would protect him. She constantly told herself that this was not about Sonny. It was not her place to protect Sonny or defend him against a woman who clearly did not know how to love. Her responsibility was to care for Michael. Which was why she was now on a plane headed to Port Charles.

It was time for Alexis to meet Michael. She would not know how to proceed until she knew where Michael stood emotionally with both Sonny and Carly. No matter what the parents of a child wanted, it was more important to Alexis to know what the child wanted. She hadn't told Sonny she was making the trip to Port Charles. She didn't want anyone warned of her trip before she got there.

The plane touched down at the Port Charles airport at 4:55 pm. Alexis was tired and hungry. She told the taxi driver to take her to the Port Charles hotel. She had been there before and knew there was a restaurant on the ground floor. The taxi began to slow and Alexis looked up from the file in her lap to see if they had already arrived at the hotel, but found they were stuck in rush hour traffic and would be stalled for a while. Alexis asked the driver how far they were from the hotel and he told her that actually they were very close.

From where they were it was a short walk through the park on their right. Alexis quickly made up her mind to walk the short distance. While asking the driver to deliver her luggage to the hotel she gave him a more than adequate tip for his time and trouble. As she exited the taxi the driver made a mental note to himself. Scale wise; this was definitely a 9 on a scale of ten. He did not believe in perfect 10s, but this one came awful close and he let out a low whistle just as she closed the door. Alexis refused to acknowledge hearing the whistle. She kept right on walking without looking back.

As she approached the park she heard the laughter of a child and it filled her with satisfaction. A child's laughter was one of the most beautiful sounds she had ever heard. It always brought to her memory another child's laughter from long ago, her own. And again, she remembered her mother. Alexis quietly walked forward searching for the child whose laughter was so infectious. Just as she passed the line of trees that lined the fence surrounding the park, she caught a glimpse of the laughing child. It was a small boy of about 5 years old being pushed on a swing by someone. Alexis gasped and quickly ducked back out of sight.

The man pushing the child was none other than Sonny Corinthos. She did not want Sonny to know she was in town yet and this was perfect, she could observe him with the child without the tenseness she knew he would have if he knew he were being watched. She found a bench that was slightly hidden and sat to watch Sonny play with whom she assumed was Michael. As she watched Michael, she could see genuine love and acceptance on his face when he looked at his father. And Sonny was very careful in his handling of Michael. Sonny had strong hands. She noticed his hands a couple of weeks ago as she watched him relate the events of his childhood. Unaware of his actions as he spoke of his life as a boy he absently picked up an ornamental paperweight off of her desk to give his hands something to do as he opened his heart. He did not notice that during the relating of his story, he became so agitated, angry and ravaged that he broke the ornament. Alexis marveled that it was those same hands that now caressed this child every chance they got. She was so attuned to the sight she was seeing that she failed to see the attractive blonde enter the park from the other side and head toward Sonny and Michael.

But Sonny did not miss her and quickly put his body between the woman and the child in an obvious attempt to shield the child. He had seen her this way too many times. He knew what was coming and all he wanted was to protect his son. He looked back at Michael and immediately saw from the fear in his eyes that he had already seen his mother and he quickly grabbed the leg of his daddy and hid behind it.

It didn't take Alexis long to figure out what was happening, nor did she miss the reaction of the child either and in an instant knew she didn't have to meet Michael to know what was best for him. Nor did she hesitate in her next action. She quickly got up and headed toward Sonny and Michael knowing she would be able to reach them before the woman could.

"Sonny, there is a taxi right outside the gate there. Take Michael right now and get into it." Sonny whirled around and his jaw dropped when he saw Alexis. With one look at her face, he knew she had figured out who was headed their way and looked down at Michael. In a moment he had Michael in his arms, and headed toward the taxi. As he passed Alexis, he gave her a look of gratitude and quickly exited the park.

Alexis watched him long enough to see that he had gotten out of the park and turned to face Carly as she barreled her way down the sidewalk to try and reach her intended target. Alexis deftly stepped into the path of Carly and found herself face to face with a look she hoped she was well rid of since leaving the Greek island she was raised on. The woman was filled with hatred and that hatred was now turned on Alexis.

"Just who the hell do you think you are? Get out of my way." Carly was so intent on getting to Sonny she failed to notice the exchange between Alexis and Sonny regarding Michael.

"Mrs. Corinthos, my name is Alexis Davis and I have been hired by Mr. Corinthos to protect Michael from you." Alexis did not yet want Carly to know just how much she knew about her so she said nothing further.

Carly was stunned. "What do you mean by protect Michael from me? I am his mother, I would never hurt him and why am I having this discussion with you. You know nothing about my son, my husband, or me. As I said, just get out of my way or you'll wish you had."

Alexis gave Carly a quick sardonic smile and stepped aside. She knew she had given Sonny enough time to get Michael out of the way. That was all she was ready to do at this time. She watched Carly explode when she reached the gate and couldn't find Sonny, Alexis turned and continued on her way to the hotel with a smile of satisfaction on her face. After coming face to face with Carly, she knew what kind of battle she now faced. But, she also knew that she would win this battle. And just like so many times before, for Alexis, this battle was now personal. This was a child who needed help. The child came first always. She may not need to talk to Michael or even meet him now, but she wanted to. She wanted to make a connection with him and she wanted him to know in the only way a child could know that he could trust Alexis. In that moment, Alexis put aside her fears and her evident attraction to the child's supposed father... Michael was the issue now and would be until her goal was achieved and the child was protected.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Entering the Port Charles hotel, Alexis went directly to the front desk to sign in. The manager quickly approached her and told her everything was taken care of and then asked if she would please follow him to her room. Alexis was in no mood for any shenanigans. It had been a long day and the events of the last few minutes depleted not only her patience, but the remainder of her energy. She needed rest and she need to rejuvenate. What she didn't need was some over eager manager mistaking her for someone else and further deterring her from her intended goal.

"Mr. Uh, Johns is it?" She questioned sighting his name tag, "You are not expecting me, I do not have a reservation. This was a last minute trip and I did not take the time to make a reservation. So please, do you have a vacancy for the evening?"

"Oh, I am very sorry for your inconvenience, Miss Davis. But, forgive me, I was told by Mr. Corinthos to keep watch for you and to take you directly to our penthouse suite once you arrived, without allowing you to sign in. He also wished me to tell you that once he was able to finish the business you left him with in the park he would meet you there."

Even with her obvious irritation at Sonny handling her, she knew that in this situation until she could speak to him, she would allow it. This time! She followed the manager to the elevator and together they exited on the penthouse floor without further conversation. Stepping off the elevator, Alexis noticed a quite attractive medium built man standing outside the entrance of the penthouse door. Before she could question the manager the stranger stepped forward and smiled awkwardly, "Miss Davis, my name is Johnny, and Mr. Corinthos asked me to stay here with you until he returned."

Alexis was really getting angry now. She did not need a bodyguard and no one was going to start telling her what she needed, when she needed, and how she needed. She opened her mouth ready to let Johnny know where she stood on the matter and that she would not need his services this evening. However, before she could utter the first word, Johnny, reading her expression and knowing she was about to explode, quickly cut off her attempt to speak and finished Sonny's message to her.

"Mr. Corinthos, further asked me to explain why he felt the need overrule your objections in this matter. He is concerned that his wife will get wind of where you are and he doesn't want you to have to deal with her until he talks to you first." Johnny hoped that Alexis would take the explanation at face value and let him do his job without causing him any trouble.

Alexis stood quite still for a moment and then looked to the manager nodding succinctly that he was free to go. As she looked back up at Johnny, she noticed that he had the kindest eyes she had ever seen. "Thank you, Johnny. Could you get in touch with Mr. Corinthos and tell him that tonight would not be convenient for a meeting. It has been a long day and I need some time to rest and make some notes before he and I meet. Thank him for his assistance this evening and I will see him here in the morning at 10:00." Alexis turned and quietly let herself into the penthouse without giving Johnny a chance to protest.

Johnny turned from the door with a big grin on his face. This was going to get interesting. Sonny wasn't used to a woman telling him what to do. Especially a woman who looked like that! Yea, this was going to get real interesting. Johnny turned and positioned himself outside her door to begin his night's work of protecting those that Sonny needed him to protect. This was going to be an easy assignment. He could tell. Those eyes he had just fallen into were going to be the undoing of his boss. It was just a prediction on Johnny's part. But, he'd lay odds on this one. He quietly chuckled as he pulled his cellphone from his pocket to call his boss and give him Miss Davis' message.

The taxi driver was ripped out of his daydreams by the violence that his taxi door had been pulled open and slammed shut. The next thing he saw was a crisp $100 bill under his nose and Mr. Corinthos in the back seat of his taxi. Everyone in Port Charles knew Mr. Corinthos. He was either highly respected or highly feared by just about everyone in town.

"Did you just let out a very attractive woman at the park entrance?" Sonny needed to know where Alexis was headed. Over the past two weeks things had heated up between Carly and himself. He needed to warn Alexis as much as he needed to talk to her. He couldn't get over the surprise that she was here. She was in Port Charles. And just when he knew Michael was about to witness another one of his mothers famous tirades, he heard her. Relief washed over him. He knew she would see to it that Carly did not follow them until he had a chance to get Michael out of the way.

How did she know what he needed? Then he remembered what she told him in her office. He was not her client, Michael was. What she did today was not for him. She was protecting Michael. Even in acknowledging what he knew to be true, he couldn't help the twinge of jealousy he felt. He quickly dismissed it and acknowledged he now owed her. She put herself in between Michael and that bitch of a mother who claimed to love her son. Carly had no clue what love was. But, more to the point, he was now questioning whether he really knew what love was. How could he have allowed Michael to be caught up in this mess if he loved him! Sonny blamed himself every time he saw the fear in Michael's eyes when he saw his mother.

"Uh, yea Mr. Corinthos. I still have her bags in the back. I'm supposed to drop them at the Port Charles hotel. I was headed there now. She didn't want to wait in the traffic so I told her the hotel was just a quick walk through the park. She decided to walk and asked me to deliver her bags."

"That's fine. Go ahead to the hotel and I'll take care of her bags." Sonny quickly decided what he needed to do. When they arrived at the hotel he called hotel manager out to the car since he did not want to leave Michael alone in the taxi. He didn't want to take Michael in to the hotel either. He didn't want to take the chance of Carly inadvertently seeing them. When the manager came out to the car, Sonny quickly explained what he wanted the manager to do and paid him quite well for his help. He only hoped Alexis wouldn't kick up too much of a fuss. He knew she was very independent and did not like people making decisions for her.

Once he finished with the manager he called Johnny. He knew Johnny was close by. Johnny was Sonny's shadow. It had been that way for years. Johnny was more than a bodyguard; he was a trusted friend. Sonny knew Johnny would guard Alexis with the same loyal dedication that he guarded him.

When Sonny reached his penthouse with Michael, rather than turn toward his own door he walked straight ahead and pressed a well-concealed button on the wall in front of the elevator. The wall, which didn't look any different than any of the others, slid back to reveal another door. Just as Sonny knew the day would come when he would have to take Michael away from Carly, he also knew he needed to be able to provide a place where Michael would feel at home and safe. So Sonny quietly and very secretively rebuilt part of the 10th floor of the Port Charles Tower. The only way it could be gotten to was through the wall.

However, unbeknownst to all who had been allowed entrance to Sonny's penthouse, there was a door connecting his penthouse to Michael's well-hidden rooms. No one could get to Michael. Sonny wouldn't let anyone. He provided a nanny for Michael and a bodyguard. They were both called into service after he left the hotel. Just as he arrived at the penthouse he received the call from Johnny with Alexis' message.

And just as Johnny predicted, Sonny didn't care to be told she didn't intend to see him that evening. And just as he was preparing to let Johnny have it, he felt Michael's arms wrap around his leg. As he looked down into the frightened eyes of the little boy, he couldn't help but think that Alexis, without even being there, was seeing to the needs of Michael. Michael needed his father tonight more than Sonny needed to speak with Alexis. 'Ok, Alexis', He thought as reached to pick up his son. 'Tonight you get your way. But don't think this is going to become a regular practice.'


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Alexis knew it was getting close to the time of day for her daily ritual and she needed to be able to see the sunset. Her penthouse room was facing toward the east so she was unable to see the sunset from her room. She opened her suitcase and reached in for a pair of jeans and t-shirt. Once she changed she headed for her door only to find Johnny waiting.

"Uh, Johnny, I need to take a walk. I'll be back in a little while."

"I'm sorry, Miss Davis, but I don't think that is a good idea. I just heard from my contact downstairs that Mrs. Corinthos is on the rampage and it doesn't look good. I don't think it would be a good idea for her to see you again this evening."

Alexis wondered just how much Johnny knew about her business with Sonny. But right now, she didn't care, it was getting later and she needed to get outside. Looking into Johnny's kind eyes again, she took a chance.

"Johnny, I would dearly love to see a sunset tonight. Just chalk it up to the whims of a neurotic attorney. Got any ideas?"

As Johnny gazed into her eyes, he could see that she was just trying to get around him. But, he also saw something else. He couldn't explain it, but he knew it was more important to her than she was letting on. Johnny thought for a minute then with a conspiratorial smile on his face took Alexis by the elbow and very gently led her to the service elevator.

Alexis wondered where Johnny was taking her, but she instinctively knew there was no reason to fear him. She let him guide her to the elevator and noticed that instead of going down to the ground floor. They went up to roof. The door was locked and much to Alexis' surprise Johnny pulled a key out of his pocket and opened it. He led her out onto the roof and she caught her breath with the vision that lay before her.

She was stunned. The first thing she noticed was that she faced the west and the sun was just beginning its final push toward the horizon. It was more beautiful than any sunset she had seen in quite a while. She was vaguely aware of Johnny making himself scarce while she walked forward toward the sun.

All of a sudden Alexis realized that the fragrance that was invading her senses was her mothers. No, it couldn't be. She was so taken by surprise that her knees began to buckle. She did not realize Johnny caught her. Alexis was in a world of her own. She was not aware of her surroundings any longer she was once again being held in the arms of her mother. She began to hum to herself and softly sway back and forth in Johnny's arms.

Johnny watched her every move. She was indeed a beautiful woman, but there was something else. When he looked at her everything in him screamed that no matter what he needed to protect her. So when, he saw her body jerk to some reaction she was having he quickly stepped up behind her and caught her before she hit the ground.

"Miss Davis? Miss Davis. Are you alright?" Johnny didn't know what to do. He was worried. He couldn't get her to respond to him. He wished Sonny was here. He'd know what to do.

Alexis vaguely heard Johnny calling to her. She didn't want to leave her mother, but she heard the concern in Johnny's voice. Concentrating on his voice she began to make her way back to reality. Slowly lifting her eyes to Johnny's, she held his gaze until she was grounded once more and her mother was once more just a tragic memory.

"I'm sorry, Johnny. Thank you for your assistance. I could explain what just happened, but it's too personal and I need to ask you to keep it just between us. Can I ask that of you?"

"No problem, Miss Davis. Are you ok? Do I need to call a doctor?"

Alexis could see that Johnny's concern was genuine and she felt bad that she zoned out on him causing him to worry. She laid her hand on his arm to hold him next to her as she turned to try to identify what caused such a gut wrenching loss of reality for her. Before her lay a garden of gardenias! Everywhere she looked she saw gardenias. This place that Johnny brought her to was so filled with her mothers scent that Alexis had been engulfed with such a longing for her mother that her mind simply retreated to a happier time.

She looked back up at Johnny with such pain in her face that it took his breath away. He didn't know what to do, so he tried to turn her around to take her back to the penthouse. But she stopped him.

"No wait, Johnny. Please. I have something I have to do then we'll leave." As she turned back toward the sun she gently squeezed Johnny's arm to assure him that she was okay then let go.

He watched her straighten her back and lift her head. She walked toward the railing and just as she reached it she stopped and bowed her head. He heard her whispering but couldn't quite hear the words. She only stood there a few moments before turning back to him. She smiled at him and he could see she had regained her composure. She was ready to leave now; at least he thought so.

As Alexis finished her nightly ritual to her mothers memory she felt a sense of peace come over her for the first time since she began her quest so long ago. She looked back at the sun as it slowly disappeared below the horizon and quietly accepted the peace that she knew her mother was trying to impart to her. For this night, Alexis would lay down the torment she lived with daily and accept the peace she knew her mother wanted her to have. Alexis also knew that she would have to return to Port Charles more often now. She had finally connected with her mothers memory as never before and she wasn't willing for it to be a one-time experience.

She turned back to Johnny and wanted this gentle man to know what he had done for her tonight. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew that this secret was safe with Johnny. As she reached him, she reached up to lay a hand on his cheek.

"Johnny, please don't worry about me. I'm fine. But, if you would like to know, I don't mind telling you about the gift you gave me tonight."

Johnny's mouth was dry. He wanted to know what was going on more than anything, but he wouldn't push. He knew what it like to lose someone and somehow he knew that for Alexis, tonight was about honoring someone she had lost.

"Miss Davis, I wouldn't dream of invading your space. As long as you're alright, I'm satisfied."

"It's ok, Johnny. Sit with me here for a while. I'd like to share it with you. I need to thank you for giving me a gift you had no way of knowing I needed."

They sat down across from each other and as Alexis began to tell Johnny about her mother they both knew that after this night they would share a bond of friendship that would last the rest of their lives. Johnny would give his life for her. She had treated him with total acceptance. She never once questioned his choice of career or his lifestyle. And Alexis knew that if Johnny ever needed anything she would be there for him. As the evening closed toward darkness, Johnny walked Alexis back to the penthouse and before she bid him goodnight she placed in his hand a small embossed card with her name and personal number on it. And she explained to Johnny just as she had to Matt two weeks earlier what having that card meant. Johnny pulled out his wallet and placed her card very tenderly behind the photo he carried of his mother.

Alexis never expected Johnny to use her number. He just didn't seem the type to call a woman if he got into trouble. She hoped he would but also understood why he would not. She had no way of knowing that there would come a time when Johnny would pull her card from that special place in his wallet and use it. But, he wouldn't be calling on his own behalf. He would call her in desperation to help someone else he loved.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Alexis awoke refreshed the next morning ready to face the world. She had slept deeper and longer than usual. She didn't know whether to attribute it to her experience with the memory of her mother or the knowledge that there had been someone watching over her through the night guarding her safety, not because he was being paid to, but because he wanted to. She knew she had a friend now and it was a precious gift for Alexis.

Standing she pulled on her robe and went to the phone to order coffee and breakfast for both herself and Johnny. But, before she could finish dialing, she heard a knock at the door. She fairly skipped to the door to open it. She half-heartedly scolded herself for acting so unprofessional. It was most likely Johnny letting her know that it was almost time for Sonny to arrive.

Opening the door, she gasped in horror. It wasn't Johnny. In fact, Johnny was nowhere to be found. She was face to face with Sonny. In the instant she recognized that it wasn't Johnny on the other side of the door, she realized she was still in her negligee and Sonny's eyes were no longer on her face. Alexis felt her face grow warm, then hot. This wasn't happening!

"Uh, I th -thought you w--were Johnny."

"Good Morning, Alexis. I sent Johnny down for some coffee and breakfast. I thought we had a meeting this morning at 10:00?"

"Mm-hmm we did, uh.. do. Uh, please excuse me for a moment." Alexis ran back to the bedroom to get away from those eyes. She didn't miss the flare in his eyes at the sight of her undress. If it were actually possible for his eyes to grow darker, they definitely had. She felt absolutely mortified when she noticed he was trying to hide that smile of his. _'I wonder if he knows his dimples peek out whether he allows a full grin or not. ALEXIS DAVIS... get a grip! This is a professional meeting. I wonder why I've started talking to myself only when he's around. What time is it? Oh no, I overslept. This has got to stop. What am I doing here? Oh yea, right Michael. MICHAEL.'_

As Alexis was scolding herself she quickly retrieved a pair of jeans and a sweater from her suitcase. Once her thoughts were once again under control, she dressed and rejoined Sonny; fully focused on the reason she was here and ready to get down to business.

"Sonny, where's Michael. Is he ok? Did Carly get to him?"

Sonny turned at her voice and stopped dead in his tracks. He had not been prepared to see Alexis so casually attired and barefoot. There standing before him was the most incredibly attractive woman he had ever seen and he knew he was in trouble before his eyes met hers. When he did make contact with her eyes, he visibly gasped and felt his body tremble. Oh yea, he was definitely in trouble.

"Sonny? Are you alright? Do you need some water? SONNY, Breathe!"

"What, oh yea, I'm fine. Michael's fine." Bless you Johnny, Sonny breathed in relief as he heard a knock on the door.

Alexis turned away from Sonny sending him a 'What's with you' look. She opened the door to Johnny and smiled widely at him.

"Good morning, Johnny." Did you have a good night?"

"Yea, Miss Davis, I did. Thank you. Here's some breakfast for you guys."

"Come on in and join us, Johnny. You can take up residence back outside the door once you've eaten, unless you already have, that is. And please, Johnny, my name is Alexis."

"I ate a couple of hours ago, Miss Davis. But, thanks for the invite." As he formally used her professional name again he looked directly at Sonny and then back at her and quickly raised an eyebrow toward him and lowered it again to let her know that calling her by her first name would not go over very well with the boss. Alexis understood and winked at him to let him know she got his message. She was rewarded with a blush on his face that would put an apple to shame and giggled as she shut the door.

She turned back to Sonny and took a step back at the purely dark brooding expression on his face.

"What's with you and Johnny?" As soon as he said it he regretted it.

"Just what do you mean, Sonny? Johnny and I are friends, not that it's any of your business. And isn't that why you're here, business? Don't you think we need to focus on Michael right now?"

She had done it again. She had the ability to send his head spinning one moment and take him down a peg or two the next. And he didn't seem to be able to have the ability to keep a serious thought in his head for any length of time when she was in the room.

"Where is he, Sonny?"

"He's at my place with a private nanny I hired and Max is on guard outside the suite."

"Don't you think Carly will look there first?" Alexis was unfamiliar with the way Sonny handled his affairs so she was unaware of just how insulting her question was to him.

"I think, we should go over to my penthouse, so I can show you the setup." Reigning in the immediate flash of temper at her question, he figured given her involvement in his custody bid it would probably be best just to take her to see Michael.

"That's fine. Give me a minute to finish dressing and we'll be on our way."

As Sonny assisted Alexis into the limo he left waiting downstairs, he again took in her casual attire and wondered where the power suit was.

Alexis noticed his perusal of her attire and figured before he had a chance to comment on it, she should probably let him know what her agenda was. She needed to prepare him before they reached his penthouse. So, as he closed the door away from the prying eyes and ears of outsiders, she turned to Sonny to explain.

"Sonny, I want to meet Michael this morning. And since he has been through enough discomfort in his life. Seeing a suit coming at him would probably cause him to become more distressed. So, I dressed appropriately."

Sonny remained quiet after he heard her explanation. He was no longer looking at her as a woman but as an officer of the court. He was thinking of Michael. His son had been through so much and he did not want him upset any more. He studied Alexis for the longest time without speaking.

Alexis knew she needed to give Sonny some time to absorb her explanation. So she patiently waited, enduring the intense gaze he leveled at her.

Finally, Sonny, spoke. "What are you going to talk to my son about?"

Alexis expected the question. She would have been concerned if he hadn't asked it.

"Sonny, I may not talk to him at all. Michael's response towards me when you introduce us will determine whether I engage him in conversation or not. I saw enough in the park yesterday to know that Michael does not want to be with Carly. He is afraid of her. And he feels secure with you. That was very evident also in his response to you when he saw her. I simply need to make a physical connection with him. That may mean simply touching his shoulder or not, depending on his reaction. He will probably be seeing more of me before were finished with this and I don't want him to be afraid of me. That is all I'm interested in this morning, just making a visual connection."

Sonny quietly listened to her and the more she explained the more he regretted doubting her. Ducking his head he stared at his shoes. Alexis waited for an answer and when she didn't get one she place one finger under his chin and lifted his face to meet hers. She knew she was walking a thin line, but for Michael's sake, she and Sonny needed to be on the same page when they reached his place. What she saw took her breath away. There was a thin mist covering his eyes. And she saw guilt in his face.

Sonny jerked his head away, ashamed that she was a witness to his weakness. But, before she had time to take offense at his action she heard his quiet voice and it stilled her heart.

"Alexis... I trust you with my son completely. Do what you need to. I'll back you up."

"Thank you, Sonny."

Sonny had questions he wanted to ask Alexis. Like how was it she had come to be in the park yesterday afternoon. Did she confront Carly after he left? She seemed to know more than he told her in their previous meeting. There was so much more he needed to know. He was a man of detail and he needed to have the blanks filled in. But, now wasn't the time. He had to concentrate on Michael. Questions and answers would come later.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

When they reached the 10th floor of the Port Charles Tower and exited the elevator. She saw the bodyguard Sonny told her about earlier and smiled a greeting at him. He nodded his head in acknowledgment but that was it. She thought to herself, 'I sure am glad I got Johnny instead of this guy.' Alexis stepped out first and looked around. There were two doors. One was for Penthouse 4 and the other was Penthouse 2. She waited to see which one Sonny would enter and looked curiously at him when he walked straight ahead toward the wall at the end of the corridor.

She watched curiously as he stepped up to the wall to press a concealed button that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. The wall moved back to reveal a third door. She instantly became concerned that Michael might possibly feel that he was being held in a prison of sorts. Something didn't feel right about holding a child behind a wall of seclusion. But, before making any judgements she waited to see the rest.

Sonny opened the door and stepped into what appeared to be a normal apartment. She saw a flash of red hair and heard the high pitch squeal of a child and before she got run over she stepped back and allowed Michael enough room to launch himself into the waiting arms of Sonny.

"Hey, sport. Whatcha been up to?" The smile on Sonny's face played havoc with Alexis' heart and she once again found herself battling to refocus her attention on the child whose arms were wrapped around his daddy's neck, giggling helplessly as Sonny tickled him.

Sonny stopped tickling Michael and put both arms around the small boy and hugged him not caring who saw how much he loved the child. Michael quieted down when he suddenly remembered that his Daddy wasn't alone.

Sonny felt the body of his son tense and Alexis saw it almost as quickly. She took another step back to give Michael a little more space. He turned his head so he could peer at Alexis from under the chin of his dad.

Sonny, knew it was up to him to make the next move. As he kept his arms around his boy he gently and quietly spoke to Michael.

"Son, I have a new friend that I want you to meet. It is very important to me that you meet her. I don't want you to be frightened of her. She will not hurt you in any way. But, I will not force you to speak to her. It has to be your choice."

Alexis only heard part of Sonny's words and she was more impressed by the tone of his voice than the words he spoke. She now knew why this child placed so much faith in this man. Michael was given the ability to make choices for himself when he was in the company of his father. That was a gift every child treasured.

Michael slowly lifted his head from his dad's shoulder and looked directly at Alexis. Alexis did not take a step forward, did not make any advance toward him at all. She placed a hesitant smile of greeting on her face and waited for Michael to make the first move. Michael took his eyes from Alexis and looked at his dad and gently pushed his hands against his dad's chest to let Sonny know he wanted down.

Sonny knelt with him and set his feet on the ground. He did not immediately take his hands from around his son. He allowed Michael to move out of his embrace in his own time. At a pace he could handle. Once Michael was free of Sonny's arms he turned to face Alexis and took a tentative step forward. Alexis could see in the child's face the emotions that were gripping the child and wanted so much to step up to the child and take him in her arms. She knew she couldn't so did the only thing she could that had proved time and again to each child she defended that she was on their side. She simply knelt to his level and waited.

Once Michael could see her eyes on his level, he knew she did not intend to harm him in any way. He shyly lifted his hand to shake hers. "Hi, my name is Michael. What's yours?"

Alexis breathed a sigh of relief as she gently placed her hand in his. "Hi, Michael. My name is Alexis."

Michael let go and took a step back toward his dad and with the innocence of a child simply stated. "Hey, dad, she's pretty."

Sonny looked at his son and replied, "I know son, I know."

Sonny looked at Alexis and noticed she had not taken her eyes from Michael. She was so different around children. In court, she was ruthless. If she saw any weakness, she dealt with it firmly and completely. But, when it came to children, everything changed. She catered to them; she gave them every advantage. He had seen it just now and he saw it in court two weeks ago as he watched her with the little boy she defended that day he first met her.

She didn't know he watched her in court that morning and he honestly felt he had every right to watch her in action. After all, he had been planning to talk to her about his son. He was impressed with her handling of that case. She dealt with every witness and every motion the prosecution sent her way quickly and efficiently without emotion. He never once heard her raise her voice during the entire process.

Even when the boy's mother took the stand and became so infuriated at her inability to reason with Alexis she actually threw a glass of water at her. Alexis simply sidestepped the air born glass making sure it would not hit the boy. She never lost her professionalism and she never let the boy see her flinch at the accusations sent her way. Sonny knew in that moment that she was who he wanted to represent him in his custody fight against Carly.

Sonny stood and took his sons hand playfully yanked on it to get Michael's full attention. "Hey, buddy. How hungry are you?"

Michael's eyes lit up. He knew that question. The only time he heard that question was when his daddy wanted to take him to their special place. He loved their special place. There was nothing in the world like it. Especially to a little boy.

With barely concealed excitement Michael looked up at his dad's face and whispered: "Can we dad, can we really?"

"Sure son, I don't see why not. You go get ready while I make a few calls and we'll head out."

As Alexis watched the exchange she quietly stood back up and again waited. It was too soon for her to enter into their conversation. It was too soon for her to make any effort at joining them. She knew that although Michael had taken a big step in meeting her, he was still wary of her. He was still in a self-protection mode and that was something Alexis knew first hand. So she quietly stood out of the way and let Michael have his time with Sonny.

Sonny watched his son run from the room and could hear him opening his dresser to pull out several pants and shirts trying to find just the right thing to wear out with his dad. As Sonny reached for his phone he heard his son grow quiet in the next room.

"Michael, you okay, son?" He watched the child's door until he saw Michael appear. The child's hand rose to clutch the door frame. "Yea dad, I'm ok." Sonny knew by his face that he wanted to say something else, so he took a few steps toward Michael further away from Alexis. "What is it, son? You know you can tell me anything."

Michael refused to look at Alexis and she automatically knew what was coming and she was prepared for it. She knew it was coming and it was ok with her. She only hoped Sonny would allow her to handle it without questioning her.

Sonny looked back at Alexis and caught her eye. Without a word spoken he knew what she wanted and he agreed, for Michael.

He looked back at Michael. He knew this would be tough on the little guy because Michael always wanted to please him.

"What son, tell me."

Michael drew in a deep breath and quietly asked his dad, "Dad, can we go by ourselves? You know, just me and you." And with an even quieter voice he hesitantly added. "Without her."

Sonny looked back at Alexis and barely nodded to her to let her know he trusted her to answer the question.

Alexis looked at the child from across the room and gently called his name, "Michael?" She waited for him to shyly look at her. She could see that his request was bothering him. She knew instantly that the child was afraid that he would not only hurt his dad's feelings, but he was afraid that he would hurt her feelings as well. He finally met her gaze once and quickly dropped his eyes to the floor again. It was enough for Alexis to know she could continue.

"Michael, I think that you and your dad should go out together this afternoon. And I don't mind. Its okay for little boys to love their daddy so much that they want them all to themselves. Could I ask you a favor first though?"

Alexis watched Michael lift his head to meet her gaze. And she saw what she wanted to see. There was no fear of her in his eyes, just gratitude toward her for understanding the heart of a little boy who had seen to much hurt already in his young life. She watched as his hands fell away from the doorframe and a little crooked smile crossed his face. "Are you sure you shouldn't be asking my dad?"

"No, I think in this instance, you should ask him for me. You see I came over in the car with your dad and I need to find a way back to my hotel. Do you think you could help me out with my problem?"

"Oh sure, that's an easy one. Well just take you back when we go out. But, first I have to change." As he disappeared back into his bedroom Sonny and Alexis laughed as he yelled at them, "Be right back!"

Sonny turned to Alexis and with nothing but gratitude for how she handled his son walked over to her and gently took her into his arms. He wanted her to know just how much he appreciated the way she was able to communicate with his son.

Alexis allowed the hug, but still very conscious of Michael in the next room. She did not want the child returning to find her in the arms of his father. It was entirely too soon for that. And as the concern took root in her mind it was quickly followed by that voice that had been finding its way into her head entirely too much lately. 'You idiot, you sound like you're expecting to be in his arms again. Get a grip!.'

She gently disengaged herself from Sonny's arms and at his questioning glance turned her eyes toward Michael's room to let him know where her concerns still were. He nodded his understanding and went to open the door for them to leave as Michael raced out of his room; ready for his outing with his dad.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

When Alexis returned to her hotel room, it was to work on the documents she brought with her. They were documents that needed to be filed with the court clerks office the next morning. She had no reservations whatsoever about the case before her. She knew where Michael belonged and she also knew that the battle would begin in earnest the following day. Carly would be served with a new set of divorce papers, but Alexis was also able to acquire the information she needed against Carly to send her to jail if she gave Michael or Sonny any problems in the future.

She still needed to bring Sonny up to date on her activities over the last few weeks on Michael's account. But today wasn't the right time. Today was about a little boy needing to spend some special time with his dad. Before she left them to go on their outing, she discreetly let Sonny know that she had information that she needed to discuss with him before she went to the clerk's office in the morning. He assured her he would call later to set a time to come by.

Alexis finished going over the contracts she had with her and wondered if her 'buddy' was still outside her door. She crossed the living room, opened the door and stuck her head out to see if he was still there.

It had been so quiet inside that Johnny was completely caught by surprise to hear her door open. When he saw her head peek around the corner he couldn't help the goofy grin that lit his face. He felt like teasing her. "Can I be of service to you, ma'am?"

Alexis played along. "Well, sir, I'm not quite sure. You wouldn't happen to know how to play poker, would you?"

Johnny laughed and said. "Why yes, ma'am. I believe I do. In fact, I'm about as good as they come."

"Oh? That sounds like quite the challenge. Would a gentleman, such as yourself, find it to beneath him to engage in a little competitive game of 5 card stud? I have a little free time to spare and according to my watch it looks like it should be just enough time to whip your butt. At poker, I mean."

Johnny knew that last quip was meant strictly to embarrass him and she wasn't disappointed. His face turned a bright pink as he attempted to hide it from her until it was back to normal. He also knew exactly what time it was and what she was waiting for.

"Uh, Alexis?"

She looked back at him and smiled warmly to thank him for using her first name.

"Yes, Johnny."

"I checked the weather report today and I'm keeping up with the time. I'll let you know when its time to go upstairs."

Alexis looked up into the face of this man whom she had never laid eyes on before yesterday and was stunned by just how much he had come to mean to her in just a few short hours. With a hint of moisture in her eyes, she looked down to take hold of his hand and again lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Thanks, Johnny. Thanks"

A couple of hours later, Johnny looked at his watch and said. "Ok, Miss Smarty, you have an appointment and I'm broke."

Alexis had laughed harder in the last two hours than she had in the last ten years. And she felt terrific. Today was a good day. And she needed to share it with her mother. But, this time, she had a surprise for this gentle man who sat across from her stacking the cards and cleaning up the mess they made.

"Come on, Johnny. Leave that, well take care of it when we get back." She grabbed his hand and headed for the door.

Johnny didn't know what she was up to. All he knew was that he enjoyed her company. And he wanted her to stay around for a while. He also liked how his boss looked at her. Maybe something would happen there. Who knows, a guy could wonder couldn't he.

Johnny opened the roof door and stepped back to let Alexis proceed ahead of him. He mentally called his reflexes to an alert because he saw first hand what this ritual of hers could cost her. But, tonight he was unprepared for what she intended.

Alexis took a few steps forward and noticed that Johnny as usual was hanging back in order to give her enough space for what she needed to do. She retraced her steps back to Johnny and put her hand in his and led him with her to the railing.

Johnny was uncomfortable, he wasn't sure what Alexis wanted from him and as he looked down at her, she lifted her eyes to meet his. She could see he was uncomfortable and she knew why, so she began her ritual not caring that Johnny was listening. He heard the questions come one at a time.

"Alexis, did you take care of business honorably today?"

He heard her ask the question but he knew he would not be allowed to hear the answer. He stood and waited. It was as if she were bringing him into the circle of her world. He knew she was telling him she trusted him. She was telling him that she had accepted him completely as her friend.

"Alexis, did you take care of those you came into contact with today to the best of your ability?"

"Were your words honest and true?"

"Would your mother be proud of you today?"

As Johnny heard the last question he was so unprepared for what happened next. It floored him and if Johnny had been able to show the depth of emotion he felt, it would have scared the wits out of him.

Alexis never released his hand during the ritual. When she quietly answered the last question she looked back toward the horizon. As the sun gently slipped into its resting-place, Johnny heard her speak again. "Mom, I want you to meet Johnny. He has become very special to me and I want to ask you if it would be all right with you if I ask him to be my brother. He is a strong, kind man. He has very gentle eyes and I believe he genuinely cares about me. I no longer have someone to look after and care for and I think sometimes, he doesn't either. So I thought maybe we could be that for each other."

Although Alexis considered about what she wanted to do all day, she still was very cautious about letting people get close to her. She never wanted to be hurt again. But, as she looked into Johnny's eyes, she knew that this man would be her protector. She knew she could trust him with her life and he would stand with her against the cruelties of life. She knew that she needed to make sure she would have some part of Johnny with her for the rest of her life. And for all that she needed of him she needed to give back the same. And she wanted to try and fulfill a need in him that she could see shadowed in his eyes.

As she looked up and saw the range of emotions crossing his face she softly said to him, "With your permission of course."

Johnny looked out toward the horizon and with a wealth of feeling he didn't know he possessed took up what he felt was now his part of the ritual. And for the rest of his life he would stop what he was doing at sunset no matter where he was and remember this night. Tonight he could finally lay to rest the sister he had lost so long ago.

"Miss Bergman," He looked down at Alexis, saw what he needed to see and looked back toward the horizon and began again. "Mom, on my honor, I pledge this day to accept this woman who stands beside me as my sister. I will dedicate my life to her protection. I will be there for her when she needs me and I'll go to her when she calls. She now owns my life as much as I do. Thank you, for giving me back, a reason to live."

Alexis didn't hide the tears that were falling in rivers down her face. She had taken a chance and it had been right. This man was her brother, her family, in every sense of the word that mattered to her. She reached up and took him into her arms. They stood together for the longest time and let the years of pain and heartache each endured be comforted by the other. They knew that the pain they held inside would never completely go away, but they had each other to turn to now when the world got to be too much. For them both, today, they were given another moment in time. This moment would be so much more precious than the others, because this moment could be shared between them.

As they turned to walk back inside to wait for Sonny, they failed to notice the man in the shadows whose own hot tears fell unchecked onto his shirt as he had stood quietly and witnessed the scene before him. He had never in his life seen two souls give themselves to each other in such a manner. He had come up to the roof looking for them just in time to hear Alexis ask herself the first question. He knew that he inadvertently wandered in on something that was very personal and not meant for his eyes. He was afraid if he moved they would notice him and he did not want to interrupt what looked to be a very special moment between them. How these two had so quickly created such a bond between them was totally outside his realm of his understanding.

When he overheard Alexis ask permission to allow Johnny to become her brother, the last bit of composure Sonny held onto fell away and he cried as he had two weeks ago in her New York office over the death of his own mother. Sonny did not know to whom Alexis spoke as she stood at the railing, but he wanted to know. He wanted to know everything about this woman. He wanted this woman in his life. He didn't care how, and he didn't care what kind of relationship it was. He just knew that he needed this woman in his life. And he wanted Michael to know her. He wanted Michael to benefit from the wisdom he heard pour from her heart tonight.

Sonny waited a while before going downstairs. He didn't need for Alexis to know he let his emotions get the better of him again. He did not want her to know he was on the roof and he wasn't willing to lie to her about it either. So he waited. After an hour passed and he felt ready to go downstairs he got up and headed that way. He noticed that his feet seemed heavier than usual and wondered at it. He didn't have to wonder long, he knew that his feet were mirroring his heart. He was alone again. And he knew there was only one person who could fill his heart completely. He also knew that there wasn't much chance of him getting what he wanted. His lifestyle would prevent it. But, he still had Michael. Would Michael be enough for him?


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Sonny approached Alexis' door and didn't see Johnny. But he didn't wonder about it, he knew where Johnny would be and it was ok with him. He would take Johnny aside tomorrow and tell him that he was making Alexis his permanent assignment for a while. He would go wherever she went. He also decided to give Johnny an expense account and increase his salary. Johnny had been his protector for many years, and they were good friends. But Sonny wanted Johnny to be able to spend as much time as he wanted with his new sister. Sonny would begin to train Max to take over until the time came that Johnny wished to return to his old job, if he ever did. He would miss Johnny, but Alexis was more important.

Alexis and Johnny were quietly talking in the kitchen when she heard a knock on her door. As she rose to answer it, Johnny smiled softly at her and told her he'd get it. She let him this time because he needed to, but she and Johnny were going to have to set some ground rules eventually. But, that would come in time. She was basking in the protective shadow of her newfound brother and she didn't want anything to tarnish it.

Alexis was smiling peacefully when Sonny walked into the kitchen. When Johnny didn't follow him in, she silently questioned him on it.

"I asked Johnny to wait outside for a few moments until we could get the matter of Carly and Michael settled. Is that ok with you?"

The fact that Sonny was asking her if she was ok with something he did was enough to rattle her, but there was something else going on with Sonny and she couldn't tell what it was. Something wasn't right.

"Sure, Sonny that's fine. Are you ok?"

"Yea, why?"

"You don't seem quite yourself this evening. Is Michael ok?"

"Yea, he's fine. We had a great day together." Sonny didn't want Alexis to question him any more. He knew what she was seeing and he needed to distract her from her present line of questioning.

"Michael asked about you today?"

Alexis froze. Her mind did a flip-flop and was off and running nine ways from Sunday. Did something happen she wasn't aware of? Did she say something that hurt him? Did she...?

Sonny could see her eyes darting back and forth with questions and he knew she was examining her actions of the day. After what he witnessed on the roof earlier, he began to understand Alexis more. And for the most part he was grateful but he knew he was also taking advantage of knowledge he should never have had. Man, he was on thin ice.

"Alexis, breathe. It's ok. He asked if he could come visit you tomorrow, to thank you for letting us go out alone today."

Alexis' eyes slowly came to rest on Sonny and it made his heart rejoice at the joy he saw in them.

"No, he didn't. Did he? Did you tell him yes? What time are you bringing him? Ill be out in the morning, but I'll be back by lunch time."

Sonny was laughing so hard he missed seeing the potholder come flying at him.

"SONNY, stop laughing at me."

"Ok, Ok. I told Michael that we would come by for lunch tomorrow about 1:00. Is that ok with you?"

"Yes, Sonny, that's fine." Alexis answered with laughter in her voice.

They sat in silence for a few moments enjoying the camaraderie they were sharing. It felt good.

Alexis knew they had business to discuss and it wasn't going to be pretty. She had things to tell Sonny that she knew were going to hurt and possibly anger him and she wondered if she should call Johnny back into the penthouse for support. No, she would wait to see how it went. If she needed Johnny, he was just a call away. She rested contentedly a moment with that thought and then began to tell Sonny what she had been up to for the last couple of weeks.

"Sonny, after you left my office two weeks ago I made a call to a special investigator I know. I gave him the assignment of tailing Carly wherever she went. I told him I wanted to know who she spoke to, what she wore, how much she spent and what she spent it on, even what kind of gum she chewed if he thought it mattered to the case I was working on. He does not know why I want the information, nor does he want to. I only use this investigator when I want total anonymity for myself and the clients I work for. I am telling you this because I want you to know that not only am I protecting Michael, but I am protecting you as well. You have trusted me so far with this case and I am asking you to go on trusting me a little longer." She stopped and waited for a response from Sonny. She saw his eyes twitch when she told him about the investigator, but he had not interrupted. So she waited.

"Go on Alexis. What did you find?"

"Its not pretty Sonny, but I can guarantee you that we will have no problem in obtaining total custody of Michael for you."

"I also put a tail on Jason Morgan. Carly has been meeting with him on a regular basis in what appears to be secret meetings. She has also been spending a lot of time with someone else on your payroll. Zander Smith."

"Alexis, I knew about Zander. I told him to keep an eye out on her."

"From what my investigator tells me, they have now joined forces against you and are planning to take you down. Financially as well as territorially."

Sonny stood up abruptly and went to the door. He opened it and asked Johnny to come in.

"Alexis, Johnny has been with me a long time. I trust him and I believe he needs to be a part of this conversation. If that is ok with you, would you please repeat to him what you have just told me?"

Johnny was concerned. He had seen that look on Sonny's face before and it meant trouble. He knew he didn't want to hear what Alexis was about to say, but he turned his full attention on her, smiled confidently at her and waited.

As she watched Sonny cross to the fireplace and stand beside it, Alexis retold Johnny what she told Sonny then waited for him to rejoin Johnny and herself. When he turned from the fireplace to face them, he had regained control and was ready to continue.

"Sonny, I need you to understand, that what I said to you two weeks ago about who my real client is, I meant it. I'm in this for Michael first. With that said; after I realized what was going down, I pulled in a few markers and put into motion a plan to stop the three cohorts dead in their tracks."

Alexis could see Sonny was getting angry. And she knew why. Sonny didn't like to be handled any more than she did.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Before you blow up, I need you to calm down and listen to the rest of this. Please, Sonny."

She saw Sonny force himself to let go of some of the rage that was building in him. Alexis had no idea what she was asking of him and what it was costing him to keep still. The one thing that kept him from releasing his rage was he knew Michael's life was at stake. So he calmed enough to listen to her tell the rest of the story.

"After I saw you in the park with Michael yesterday, I knew I made the right decision. But, I also knew that it would take an awful lot of explaining on my part to get you to realize that I handled the problem in the only way it could have been for Michael's sake. If you had gotten wind of what was going down, instead of you putting Michael to bed each night, it would have been Carly or whoever she could find at a moments notice regardless of his safety and well-being. I'm not entirely sure if you know it or not, but Carly was making a habit of putting him to bed and then leaving him alone while she went out partying all night. Michael needs you to protect him and the only way you can is if you stay out of jail. Are you getting the picture here?"

Alexis couldn't bear to see his face. It was torn apart by guilt and anger. She didn't know how to help him other than to continue relating to him what she had done.

"Jason and Zander were picked up by the police day before yesterday with a list of charges as long as your arm. No one knows who tipped off the police. Carly does not know they have been picked up yet. She has been trying all day to locate them. She will be served tomorrow with new divorce papers. According to the new contract of divorce she has no right to Michael whatsoever. A clause has been added relinquishing her rights as a parent to Michael. And another contract will be filed in the morning that will require the signature of Jason that in effect hands sole custody of Michael over to you permanently as his father."

"I spoke with Judge Jay Greene this morning regarding these contracts. I have been in contact with him throughout the past two weeks keeping him updated on the information I was getting from my people. He was willing to continue to listen as long as you stayed out of the fray and clean. The DA's office upon his recommendation will offer Jason a reduced sentence if he signs the contract. We have no reason to believe he wont sign it. As for Carly, I wasn't willing to make decisions regarding her without first speaking to you. What happens to Carly, is in your hands as long as it is legal. You do need to know that I have enough physical evidence of her illegal activities to put her away for a long time. I also have physical evidence of the mental abuse she has put her child through. I know I have sprung a lot on you in a very short time. If you would like Johnny and I can wait in the other room to give you time to process it all." She stood glanced at Johnny and was just about to exit the room when Sonny spoke.

"Alexis?"

"Yes?"

"We can discuss the way you handled this later. But, right now, I need a couple of friends I can trust to discuss this with. Would you and Johnny mind?"

Johnny sat back down and simply said, "Right, boss."

"How can I help, Sonny?"

Sonny had been holding his breathe and released it so quickly he became dizzy. Alexis noticed and signaled Johnny to get a glass of water for him. Johnny left and returned momentarily with what she requested. He was amazed that he had been able to see what she wanted without her opening her mouth. Johnny was going to love having her for a sister. But, right now, Sonny was his main concern.

Sonny accepted the water and drank thirstily from the glass. When Alexis saw he had regained his equilibrium she sat back and waited for him to tell her what he needed.

"Alexis, I know what I want done to all three of them, but for Michael I need to reign in this temper of mine and listen to a little reason. I've always handled my own affairs and it is really tearing me up that someone on the outside was able to infiltrate my organization and stop a takeover that I was not even aware of. Johnny, did you or Benny know anything about this?"

"No, boss. This is the first I've heard of it and I know if Benny had known anything about it he would have come directly to you."

"Yea, that's what I figured. Do you see where I'm coming from, Alexis?"

"Yes, Sonny, I do. But, you are going to have to come to terms with what has happened and fast. Michael has no one but you now. I don' want him to have to deal with his mother again until he is old enough to take care of himself."

"If I have anything to say about it, he'll never see that woman again. I want her put away for good. Can you do that, Alexis?"

"Yes, Sonny, I can. But, I have to ask you; are you sure that's what you want to do?"

Sonny looked at Alexis as if she had just grown two heads.

"What do you mean, am I sure that's what I want?" Sonny was yelling now and he didn't care. How could Alexis not see that by putting Carly in prison, she would be out of their lives. She wouldn't be able to hurt Michael anymore. No, he didn't know a lot of what Carly had put Michael through and it would haunt him the rest of his life. But, he had a chance now to put her away. He wanted that chance, needed it!

"Sonny, do you want her put away for your peace of mind, or for Michael's?"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Alexis' quiet voice penetrated Sonny's thoughts. He didn't want to see what she was trying to show him. He didn't want to ever see Carly again. He didn't want to be reminded day in and day out of the mess she made of his life. But, he finally recognized what Alexis was trying to say as gently as she could. Most of Sonny's anger right now was about what Carly had done to him. He finally saw that he had been putting himself and what he wanted ahead of what Michael needed.

Alexis moved to sit on the coffee table in front of him and Johnny recognizing where this was going stepped back outside to give Sonny some privacy to deal with his feelings.

Sonny slowly leaned forward, put his arms around Alexis' waist and laid his head in her lap. He had been through so much the last few weeks and he needed to know someone cared about him. And he knew, from all he heard today, that this woman had given him everything she had. She protected his son. And she protected him. Sure there would be repercussions for the actions she took on his behalf. But, that was ok. He would deal with it. Right now, he simply needed her to hold him as his mother had when he was young and the world seemed just a little to big to a small boy just trying to survive.

Sonny needed to again release the anger he held inside all of his life against a world full of hatred. As he laid his head in her lap, he let go and it broke her heart to hear the sobs coming from this man who had stolen her heart. Yes, she loved him. She loved him as she had loved no one else in her life. Much of what she did was done for him as much as for Michael. She put her arms around him and quietly held him until he there were no more tears to shed.

Sonny finally released Alexis, and raised his eyes to meet hers wondering what he would see. His head knew he would probably see her acceptance of him, but his heart needed to know that she accepted him also, unconditionally.

Alexis waited until his eyes met hers. She saw fear in them. But, this was different, she knew he was waiting for a response from her and he was afraid of it.

He needed so much for her to love him, as he loved her. The simple admission to himself shocked him. When had he had fallen in love with her? And did it really matter?

As Sonny sat up to look into her eyes, her hands fell away from his body and they suddenly felt so empty. As she gazed into his eyes, she again raised her arms and encircled him bringing him closer to her. She wanted him to know, needed him to know that he was safe with her. There was no need to worry; his secrets were safe with her.

Sonny felt her arms go around him and it felt like he had finally come home. He closed his arms around her and he felt whole again. She fit perfectly within the circle of his arms and he was reluctant to let her go.

They remained in their embrace just a moment longer and finally separated knowing that there was still business to attend to. He needed closure and she needed to give it to him.

Alexis noticed that Johnny had quietly slipped from the room and looked to Sonny to see what he wanted. "Tell him to come back in. It's ok. We need to finish this."

"Ok, Sonny."

"Johnny, can you rejoin us now." Alexis took Johnny's hand and ushered him back in. Just before he sat down she squeezed his hand just enough to say thanks and before he released her hand he squeezed it back in response. She thrilled at how much she had come to love this man. Her brother! She loved the sound of it. Sitting down, she pulled him down beside her and sat forward to get back down to business.

"Ok, guys. Here's how I see it. I'm trying to imagine how Michael would feel should he find out his Mother was sent to prison by his father. Would he care? Would he remember enough of what she put him through for him to care if she were in prison? So here's what I propose. Carly will be served tomorrow afternoon with the divorce contract. I will place a note in the envelope to her stating that I will be available for any questions she may have at say... here, around 4:00. We all know she will head straight here to find out what's going on. At that point, I will give her a copy of the charges and evidence we have against her. She will then be allowed to make the choice herself of either going to prison or signing over sole custody of Michael to Sonny. Also, she will be handed a copy of a restraining order that prevents her from coming within 100ft of Michael until Sonny has that order changed at his discretion."

Shifting to look fully at Sonny she continued. "You should not be anywhere near this place until she leaves, Sonny. It will only antagonize her and our end result may be compromised. I think Johnny should be here with me in case she goes ballistic. You should probably take Michael out sailing or something. We will join back up tomorrow evening at...? She looked to Johnny to confirm the time and he knew what she was asking.

"We can meet back here at 8:15." Johnny related with confidence and winked at Alexis.

She smiled and turned back to Sonny, "Well, what do you think?"

Sonny and Johnny looked at each other and began laughing so hard they were finding it hard to remain seated in their chairs. And the more they laughed, the more bothered Alexis became. She finally had enough and picked up a pillow in each hand and began beating them each in turn until they finally quit laughing.

"Sonny, what are you laughing at?" And cutting a quick look at Johnny fired off a quick, "And don't you start again either!"

Johnny picked up a pillow and hid his face behind it. He couldn't trust himself to keep his cool.

Sonny stood up, walked over to Alexis and hugged her so tightly the found it hard to breathe.

"Alexis, as much as I'd like to be a fly on the wall in here at 4:00 tomorrow afternoon, Michael and I will be on a boat sailing around Spoon Island."

"You mean you like my idea?" Alexis couldn't believe it. Sonny wasn't putting up a fight. 'What's gotten into him?' she wondered.

"Sonny, are you ok?

"Sure Lex. You have argued your point of view quite well. I can't find one thing wrong with your proposal. Of course, if you hadn't already mentioned that Johnny would be here with you, then that would have been my only change in the plan. You see, counselor, I recognized a long time ago that you are a force to be reckoned with. You'll handle Carly and my priority will be Michael, as it should be." Sonny turned to walk into the kitchen and suddenly turned around as he remembered he might ought to mention something else to her. "Oh, Alexis, by the way..." he waited for her to meet his eyes. "I love you."

By the time Alexis' mind wrapped itself around Sonny's last parting shot he was gone. She turned to Johnny with wide eyes and asked. "Did he say what I think he said?"

Johnny stood and started toward the door, "Yea, I think I'll make myself scarce. This is getting too heavy for me. Call me when you need me to come back. Hey, Alexis?"

"Yea, Johnny..."

He could tell he only had half of her attention.

"HEY, ALEXIS!"

He had her attention now.

"What are you yelling at? I'm right here."

"It would have been nice, if you had said it back to him."

Alexis turned around picked up another pillow and let it fly. It hit the door just as Johnny closed it and she heard him laughing all the way down the hall.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Alexis walked into the kitchen not knowing what to expect and found Sonny cooking.

"Don't you think it's rather late to be eating?" she asked him.

"When did you eat last?"

"Um, breakfast, this morning."

"Alexis, you didn't eat anything this morning. If you'll recall we left to go see Michael before you actually ate anything, and if you didn't have lunch either then you must be starving!"

Alexis didn't realized she hadn't eaten all day. She never even noticed, but now that she thought about it she was rather hungry. But, she there was also something else on her mind.

"Sonny?"

"Alexis!"

"Did you mean it?"

"Did I mean what?"

"You know, what you said a few minutes ago."

Sonny looked up at her and gave her a quizzical look as if he didn't have a clue what she was asking him.

"I don't know, Alexis. You're going to have to refresh my memory."

"Sonny!"

"Alexis?"

"You're going to make me work for it aren't you?"

Sonny laid down the knife he had been using to cut up some fruit and walked around the counter to her. He gently took her into his arms and said "Now why would I do that? Don't you think, you've worked hard enough for me lately?"

Alexis was looking into the blackest eyes she had ever seen and was steadily drowning deeper in them with each passing moment. "I think I've definitely earned my fee over the past couple of weeks. Were you pleased with my results?"

"Lady, you have blown me away. You are more than I ever could have imagined." Sonny suddenly wanted her to know everything. He needed her to know the impact she had on his life in the short time he had known her. "Alexis, as much as I want to sit here and talk to you all night long, I need to feed you something. Can you go find something to do long enough for me to finish this? If you don't I'll never get it finished. Please?"

"Ok, Sonny. I need a shower anyway. It's been a long day and I want to talk to you too. I'll go take a quick shower and meet you back here, Ok?"

"That sounds fine." He gave her a quick kiss on her forehead before he turned back to the counter to finish the job he set for himself. He knew they would have time and he could be a very patient man.

However, Alexis was not quite so patient and a quick kiss on the forehead just wasn't going to cut it. She walked toward Sonny who had his back to her and turned him around. She looked at him for just a moment then grabbed the lapels of his shirt with both hands and leaned toward him. As her lips touched his, Sonny almost lost control. She tasted so sweet and smelled even better. She was gone in an instant leaving him breathless and aching for more. He gently laughed and turned back toward the sink. There would be time later. However, he wasn't so sure just how patient he could be now.

When Alexis returned from her shower, she hadn't bothered to dry her hair and she now wore a pair of sweats with a grossly oversized top. Sonny thought she looked adorable and couldn't wait to kiss her again. He set the table and she sat down to an omelet surrounded by cut fruit. She was suddenly ravenous. Sonny poured her a cup of coffee and sat down next to her with his own cup of coffee.

"Aren't you eating?

"I ate with Michael earlier. I also called Johnny and told him to take a break. It took me a while to convince him but, he finally understood that I wanted him to be in top form for tomorrow, well rested. He'll send over one of the other guys for tonight and be back in the morning."

Sonny wanted to know about her relationship with Johnny, but was hesitant to ask her. Alexis could tell he had questions and she didn't mind telling him what he wanted to know.

"Sonny?"

"Yea?"

"Go ahead. You can ask me whatever you like. I'll answer you as honestly as I know how."

She certainly didn't expect his first question, but she did promise to answer him honestly.

"Alexis?"

"Sonny!"

"Do you love me?"

There it was. Right out there. Could she actually say it? She had never before said those words to anyone but her mother where they could be heard. Those were words she just didn't use. But this was Sonny and for the first time in her life she wanted to say it out loud, for him to hear.

"Yes, Sonny, I love you."

"Could you explain to me this bond you and Johnny have?"

Alexis howled. She couldn't believe he had so calmly gone from asking her if she loved him to asking her about Johnny. She looked back at him and reached over to cover his hand with hers.

"Is Johnny really what you want to talk about?"

Sonny knew he wasn't making any sense. But, there was so much he wanted to know and he didn't know where to start.

"Alexis, I have waited for you all my life. I may not have known you, but there was always the promise of you somewhere in the back of my mind. How I let myself become so distracted by all of the wrong women, I'll never know. But, I knew before I left your office that first day that I wanted to know more about you. Needed to know more. And every time I saw you after that the need grew. You cannot imagine what hearing your voice in the park did to me. I saw her coming at me, and I felt Michael recoiling in fear. I needed to find a way to escape her with the least amount of damage to Michael and I couldn't see a way out."

"And then you were there. I don't know how I knew, but I saw it in your eyes. I knew what you wanted me to do and I didn't hesitate. I just picked him up and walked away. You have to understand, Alexis. I've never let anyone tell me what to do. And all of a sudden, I knew that no matter what, you would protect my son. And that was enough to change my way of thinking. And the next time I saw you, you were cozying up to Johnny and I went wild with jealousy."

"Sonny, I want to explain to you about Johnny. There is no reason for you to be jealous..."

"I know that now. But, there is something else you need to know. I know I may anger you with what I am about to tell you but I don't want any secrets between us. You've taught me a lot about the merits of honesty in the last few weeks and I find that with you I want nothing more than to be honest." He hesitated because he didn't want to lose her now. But, he needed her to know what he witnessed as he stood in the shadows on the roof.

"Sonny, there's quite a bit about my past that I would find hard sharing with you because of the ugliness of it. But, as much as I would hate to, I would if I felt you had a right to know. So, please whatever it is... tell me."

"I came by earlier this evening and found you and Johnny out. The door was open though, so I knew you hadn't gone far, so I began looking for you. I found you both on the roof." Sonny waited to see her response.

"How much did you hear, Sonny?" she asked him hesitantly.

"I heard it all, Alexis. I know I should have left, but it looked like such a special moment between you two and I was afraid you would hear me if I tried to leave. And then the more I heard the more I didn't want to leave. So I stayed. I have never seen Johnny as content as he was tonight. You gave him his life back tonight." As Sonny tried to explain what he felt as he watched them on the roof, a far away look crossed his face. It was very rare for Sonny to find anything in life to be so beautiful to him that it left him speechless. This was something totally new to him and he didn't know how to process it.

Alexis knew that Sonny was having trouble expressing how he felt about what he saw. She knew she was going to have to explain it to him. She didn't really want to, because that moment had been between herself and Johnny. But, if it would help Sonny to recognize a part of himself that he thought he had lost, then the sharing of her moment would be well worth it.

"For the last 20 years, I have been on my own with no family to turn to. I have a brother and a nephew, however, due to circumstances that no longer matter, I was sent into exile and have not seen them since. I had begun lately to really miss not having any family and although I always felt I could handle everything on my own, I really missed not having someone to talk to, share with, you know... someone you could call your own for awhile. When I met Johnny two days ago, it had been a difficult day and I needed to talk to my mother in the worst way. Ever since I was a little girl, I thought my mother was somehow connected to the sun setting. So every evening just as the sun goes down I find a place to go where I can watch the sun set and ask myself the questions I know she would ask of me. If I could answer those questions positively then I knew it had been a good day. If I couldn't answer them positively, I would sit there and tell her about my day and try to figure out what I did wrong or how I could have changed it to bring about a positive answer that evening."

"When I checked in here I found that my room pointed to the east and I couldn't see the sun set. So I started to go back downstairs and outside to try and find a place to go. Johnny met me at the door and explained that it probably wouldn't be a good idea to go out since Carly was on the warpath. There have been times that I have missed that time with my mother, and it has always led to nightmares and whole nights without sleep. So Johnny took me to the roof and when he opened the door and guided me through it, the fragrance that met me was so overwhelming that I zoned out. Gardenias were my mother's favorite flower and I was suddenly surrounded by them. My mind simply retreated back to the time I was happiest."

"Poor Johnny thought I was dying. He caught me just before I hit the ground. But, what he didn't know was that he had just given me the most precious gift of my life. What he and I shared that night created a bond between us that will never be broken. So tonight, I wanted to give back to Johnny a little of what he gave me. I asked him to be my brother. He agreed."

Smile smiled widely. "Sweetheart, it was so much more than that. There will come a time when Johnny will be able to tell you about his little sister. She died very young and Johnny has held himself responsible ever since for her death. Her name was Alexandria, but he called her Lexie. She meant everything to him. When Lexie died, Johnny died. He didn't care whether he lived or not. Nothing mattered to him anymore. The man I saw on that couch tonight is not the man I left at your door two days ago. You made a difference in his life. Alexis, you saved his life."

Tears were running down Alexis' face. She desperately wished she had known sooner. But, she would respect Johnny's privacy and wait for him to tell her the story. But, her heart now ached for her brother.

She heard Sonny suddenly gasp and quickly looked his way.

"What is it Sonny?"

"Our first meeting in your office. We didn't leave the office until 9:00 that evening."

She knew what he was trying to say and yes, she had missed her time with her mother that night, and yes she also had to endure those terrible nightmares. But, Sonny had been more important at the time.

She looked at him with all the love she held in her heart for him and placed her hands on each side of his face. "Sonny, I'm fine. Yes, It was a difficult night. But, look at what we have gained since then. Would you change anything now?"

As Sonny searched her face, all he saw was her love for him. "No, Alexis, I wouldn't."

Sonny wasn't ready to leave Alexis yet, but he knew they both had a full day ahead of them and he knew that it was going to be a lot harder on Alexis than it would be for the rest of them. But, he knew Johnny would take care of her and he knew that he needed to let him. Tomorrow was definitely going to be difficult for Alexis. Sonny knew what Carly was capable of, but he was hoping that by handling the situation as she had proposed, Alexis would diffuse Carly quickly and permanently.

"Honey, I do love you, but, I'm fixing to put you to bed..."

At her quick surprised glance his way, he knew she was misunderstanding him. "Alone, Alexis."

"Sonny...? Are you leaving?"

"Yes, honey, I am. As much as I want to stay and wrap you in my arms for the rest of the night. It wouldn't be enough. And it is quickly getting closer to morning. You need to get some rest and do what you need to do to prepare for tomorrow. And I need to get back to Michael. I don't want him to wake up alone in the morning."

Alexis knew he was right, but she didn't want him to leave. She never wanted him to leave her again. She wanted his face to be the first one she saw each morning and the last one she saw each night before she closed her eyes to sleep.

"Okay, Sonny, but can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure, anything." He could tell from the way her eyelids half closed that what she wanted had caused her to become self-conscious. And as she did to him moments before he placed her face gently and lovingly between his hands and lifted her head slightly. He waited until her eyes finally came up to meet his.

"Alexis... anything!"

"Can you somehow work it out, so you don't have to leave tomorrow night?" Alexis held her breath waiting for Sonny's answer.

"Breathe, Alexis. I'll work it out." Sonny wondered at that moment if a person's heart could simply be so full that it could explode. If it could, then he was definitely in trouble again.

He slowly stood bringing her with him and pulled her close. He knew that from this moment on, as much as he loved his son, the question would now become, was it possible to love this woman more than he loved Michael. Because, he knew without hesitation that in that moment, he didn't have an answer. He slightly bent his head toward her and captured her mouth with his. Passion would come later. He simply wanted her to know that she had totally turned his life upside down and he was a better man for it.

Alexis wrapped her arms around Sonny as he brought her closer to him and when he bent to kiss her, she knew it wasn't about the passion they both knew lay just under the surface. Sonny, was trying to tell her something. And she needed to know what that was. She gently broke the kiss and looked into his eyes. She would find what she needed to know there. What she found left her so humbled and in awe of this man that she had to break contact with him in order to regain her composure. If she didn't take her hands off him now he wouldn't be leaving tonight and she knew he needed to.

"Sonny?"

He knew he reached her without words and he marveled again at her ability to read him. But, he also had a little bit of that ability himself. He knew why she suddenly let go of him.

"Walk me to the door, Alexis. I'll call you in the morning. Remember, Michael still wants to see you tomorrow. I'll bring him by for lunch?"

"That would be great. I'll call you just as soon as I get free from the clerks office."

They reached the door and could both feel their bodies tensing at the inevitable parting. But, it was only a few hours before they would be together again.

Sonny opened the door and quickly kissing her cheek he turned to go, "Goodnight, Alexis."

"Goodnight, Sonny."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

It was 11:00am and Alexis was just wrapping up the mornings work. It had been a very productive morning and she knew Sonny would be pleased. She knew exactly what time Carly would be served and it left just over 4 hours before she expected Carly at the penthouse. Alexis needed to talk to Johnny before Carly arrived though. He needed to be aware of how she wanted the scene to play out. She reached for her cellphone to call Sonny. She missed him that morning and simply wanted to take in the sight of him with her eyes. He answered immediately.

"Sonny? I'm on my way back to the penthouse. It was a good morning for us. Do you want to meet me there with Michael?"

"Sure, we'll meet you there. Are you okay?

"I'm fine, Sonny. Don't worry."

"I have to. It's my new job."

"See you in a few..." Alexis almost didn't hear his reply it was so low, but she did and it made her smile.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Sonny had a surprise for Alexis. He and Michael had come up with it this morning and Michael was so excited he could hardly contain himself. Alexis didn't know that Sonny answered her call from her penthouse. He and Michael had been there all morning getting ready for lunch. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face.

As she stepped off the elevator her face brightened when she saw Johnny.

"Hi, Johnny."

"Hey, sis."

"Come on in."

As she let herself in the penthouse, Johnny followed close behind and almost knocked her down when he ran into her. He didn't notice her stop dead still. He looked to see what was wrong with her and finally saw what she stopped her.

There were balloons everywhere. There were streamers hanging from the ceiling and every doorframe. Johnny turned to Alexis just as she turned to him. They both recognized at the same time that neither one of them knew what was going on. Just as Alexis started toward the center of the room she heard laughter coming from the kitchen. She reached back for Johnny's hand and pulled him with her toward the sound.

Entering the kitchen hesitantly, she gasped as she took in the sight in front of her. Sonny was covered in flour and the little boy standing next to him didn't look much better. The kitchen was covered in flour. She felt Johnny's hands come down on her shoulders and she looked back at him. Johnny was laughing so hard he hung on to her to keep from falling.

Sonny and Michael noticed the two at the door at the same time and quick as a wink both shouted.

"He did it!"

"You know, you two could pass for ghosts. And I hope you don't think Johnny and I are going to clean up this mess." She was trying so hard not to laugh.

Sonny looked at her sheepishly and tried to explain what was going on, but Michael had other ideas. He wanted to tell her. He didn't want her mad at his dad.

"Miss Davis, me and Dad wanted to share my birthday with you. But, we wanted to surprise you so we came over here. Almost everything is ready. Dad cooks great and we just got a little crazy. We'll clean it up."

Alexis was afraid that Michael would think she was upset.

"Michael, I think its great that you get along so well with your dad. And everyone needs to have a flour fight just once in their life. It's really fun, isn't it?" She reached over and very gently pick up a small bit of flour from his shoulder and turned to throw it.

Johnny thought she had lost her mind as he realized he now had a face full of flour. How very undignified! Seeing the twinkle in her eye, a low chuckle escaped before he could contain it.

They both heard Michael at the same time. The boy was laughing so hard; he was rolling on the floor. Michael had known Johnny all his life and it was the first time he had ever heard Johnny laugh.

Sonny walked over to his son wiping flour off his shirt. As he looked down at Michael he asked...

"Hey, sport, you reckon we ought to clean up a bit and get on with this party?"

Michael immediately got up from the floor. He knew what was coming and he couldn't wait. He grabbed Sonny's hand and drug him back into the kitchen.

"Hurry dad, we have to hurry."

Sonny looked back at Alexis with the most tender of looks and her breath caught in her throat.

"Why don't you and Johnny go sit down and we'll be in there in a minute."

She nodded and turned, pushing Johnny back toward the living room as Johnny attempted to brush the flour off his face.

Once they reached the couch, Alexis felt this would be the best time to let Johnny know what she would need from him this afternoon.

Johnny noticed the change from playful to business and sat down beside her to listen as he pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket.

"Johnny, Carly will be served at approximately 3:30. She should get here around 4:00. I would like for you to stay in the bedroom. But, don't get so far away that you can't hear what's being said. If she begins to lose control, quietly come in and stand in the doorway. She will catch sight of you when I look toward you. That should calm her down some. I do not know Carly, but from some of the information I've come across, I wouldn't put anything past her. Can you do that for me?"

Johnny took Alexis hands in his and stared at them. He couldn't trust himself to look at her. She was asking him to take care of her. She was putting her trust in him and he again painfully remembered a small child looking up at him with trusting eyes. This time it would be different. If it came right down to it, he knew he would kill Carly if she threatened Alexis.

"Don't worry, Lexie. I'll take care of you."

Alexis didn't know if Johnny realized he called her by his little sister's name. But, she was well aware of it. She couldn't let him know she knew about his little sister. That was his story to tell.

But, Johnny actually was aware of his use of the beloved nickname. And it felt good to hear it aloud again. He could remember his little sister now without the constant pain. And it was because of Alexis. Over breakfast Sonny told him about talking to her about Lexie. He would have preferred doing it himself, but understood that Sonny was just trying to look out for him. He knew she didn't know the whole story yet, but that was something he was going to rectify just as soon as all the Carly business was done.

Johnny finally looked up into Alexis' eyes. He needed her to know what was in his heart.

"I hope you don't mind your new nickname. It;s a very special name to me. It was my sister's name.

I lost her when I was fifteen. But, you gave her back to me and the only way I know to honor you both is to give you her name."

Alexis was crying again. She was going to definitely have to lay some ground rules in the future with the two new men in her life. She simply could not go around crying every time she engaged them in conversation. It wasn't professional. It made her look like a wimp. She looked lovingly into the eyes of the man who sat beside her. They had chose each other. And it was good. She reached over to wrap her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder as his arms encircled her protectively.

"Johnny, thank you. You have made it possible for me to belong to a family again. I will share my mother with you and you can share your sister with me. Now, can we get back to the party? I am suddenly as hungry as a bear." She let go of him and then hesitated a moment tenderly laying her hand on his cheek. "I love you, big brother."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Alexis and Johnny both heard Sonny and Michael enter the room at the same time and turned to see what was going on now. Sonny held the biggest birthday cake she had ever seen in her life.

"Where did you get that?" Alexis asked.

"I made it."

"In there?" Alexis pointed to the kitchen

"Yea, why?"

"It's bigger than the oven is. How did you do it?"

Michael looked up at Alexis and then turned to Sonny. "You're right, Dad. I don't think she knows how to cook."

Alexis turned to slap Johnny as she heard him go down laughing again. If she could have reached Sonny she would have slapped him too.

Michael was becoming impatient. The secret he was carrying was becoming harder and harder to keep. "Dad, can we go now?"

Alexis looked back at Michael and toward Sonny. "Go where? I thought we were having a party here."

Sonny was biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. "We are, well not right here. Son, you want to go open the door for me?"

"Sure, Dad." His little body was quivering with anticipation and he was glad they were finally getting to the surprise.

Alexis followed them with Johnny at her side. She quickly became aware of where they were leading her and wasn't entirely sure it was a good idea. She felt Johnny's arm go around her and glanced up at him with trepidation. She saw him wink at her and give her a comforting smile. It would be okay, Johnny was there and so was Sonny. These two men had only her best interests at heart.

As they reached the roof, Michael opened the door and stepped aside. He wanted to see her face when she saw what he and his dad had done.

Alexis first noticed the fragrance of her mother again and was warmed by it. But, the closer she got to where Sonny stood the more she realized that he and Michael had prepared a picnic on the roof. Alexis was beside herself with emotion. She wrapped her arms around herself and hugged herself tightly. How could he have known?

Sonny became quite concerned at her reaction and looked to Johnny for confirmation of his fears. Johnny knew more than he did about Alexis' past, and he didn't mind looking to him for a little help now.

Johnny knew what was going on and he also knew that it was good. He shot Sonny a look that told him it was okay and he quietly stepped closer to Alexis and put his arms around her.

"Its ok, Lexie. She wouldn't mind sharing her time with you with your new family." Alexis' last memory of her mother was in a park full of gardenias and they had brought a picnic with them. Sonny heard Johnny's soft spoken words and even though he was concerned about her, knew she would be okay. He needed to take care of Michael who looked as though he were about to cry.

Sonny walked over to Michael and knelt beside him.

"Michael, Alexis is not sad or angry. Do you remember what I told you this morning when you asked me about her mother...?" Sonny stopped when he felt her hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw the contentment on her face.

"May I talk to Michael?"

She looked at Michael to see if it was okay that she wanted to talk to him.

"Its okay with me, dad, if it's okay with you." Sonny stood up and stepped aside, he couldn't deny this woman anything.

Alexis held out her hand to Michael and without hesitation he put his small hand in hers and together they walked away from the guys to a small bench a few steps away.

Alexis waited until Michael was seated beside her before she began talking to him.

"Michael, you and your dad did something very special for me today and I wanted to thank you for it. Did your dad explain to you this morning that my mother died when I was a little girl."

Michael wasn't entirely sure about this conversation, but he did know that his dad liked her a lot and he didn't want her to think his dad had done something wrong.

"Yea, we were talking about my mom and I wanted to know if you had a mom. Dad didn't mean to do anything wrong, we were just talking, that's all."

Alexis could tell that Michael was afraid that he caused some sort of problem between Sonny and herself and she needed to alleviate his fears very quickly.

"Michael, your dad didn't do anything wrong and neither did you. Can I tell you about my mother?"

"Sure, Miss Davis."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Alexis had had it with the Miss Davis stuff. She looked down at Michael as he sat beside her.

"Okay, but first can I ask you to do something for me? Can you please call me by my first name? I would really like to be your friend and it would be awful funny if we went around calling each other Miss Davis and Mr. Corinthos all the time, wouldn't it?"

She was rewarded with a laugh from the child.

"Yea, okay, Alexis,"

"Great. Now, where were we? Oh yea. My mother's favorite flower was the gardenia and all of these flowers you see around you are gardenias. And the last time I saw my mother before she died was on a warm day just like today. She decided to take me to the park for a picnic, just like we are doing today. When I saw what you and your dad did up here, it brought the memory of my mother back to me. You see, I miss my mother every day of my life and you helped me today by helping me to remember her. You gave me a very special gift and it's not even my birthday. It's yours. A little boy has to be very special to be able to do that for someone he hasn't known very long. So, can I tell you thank you from the bottom of my heart?"

Michael was struggling with a thought that had come into his head and somehow he knew he could only talk to Alexis about it.

"Alexis, why couldn't my mother love me like your mother loved you?"

Alexis' heart broke at the pain in his small voice.

"Michael, moms make mistakes. They sometimes get lost and have trouble finding their way back to little boys who love them and need them. Your mom needs help right now. And as much as you would like to help her yourself, right now there's nothing you can do. Little boy's shouldn't have to tend to the problems of grown-ups. They have enough to do just making sure each day is filled with enough fun and laughter that it spills over into the next day. Your mom will come back to you some day and she will be well. For now, you just concentrate on you and fill today with as much happiness as you can. The rest will take care of itself. And always remember, your dad loves you and will never leave you. If you have a problem, talk to him about it, he'll understand. Okay?"

Alexis waited for a reaction from the precious child that sat beside her. And was overjoyed as she felt a small tiny hand sneak its way into hers.

"There's something else though, Michael." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small embossed card and handed it to him. He looked at it and then looked up at her waiting for an explanation.

"Michael, this is a very special phone number. It's my home number. Every time I meet a very special little boy who becomes my friend I give him a card just like this. It has my name on it right above my number. If you ever get into trouble, or get frightened about something... and your dad or Johnny isn't around to help, you can call me. I'll come to you as quickly as I can. Is that ok with you?"

Alexis watched as the child held the card reverently in his hands and looked up at her as if she had just given him the world. As he hung onto the card he slowly stood beside her and wrapped his tiny arms around her neck. She felt a shudder run through his tiny body as she help him close. She rocked him gently for a few minutes as he released the pent up tears he had been afraid to let his dad see. He was just a little boy who needed the love of his mother. And he secretly, moved his mother to a place in his heart where he could handle her and looked to the woman who held him now as a substitute until his own mom could come back to him.

Sonny and Johnny witnessed the whole scene and stood together with their arms across each others shoulder as they watched this amazing woman soothe the fears of a little boy. As they slowly watched the two get up and head back their way, they jumped guiltily and tried to hide the fact that they had been very moved by what they saw.

Alexis met Sonny's eyes with her own and she knew he overheard her with Michael and she almost didn't make it back to him. Her knees began shaking at the bare emotions of the man. She knew what it was costing him to not let his son see the tears that threatened to engulf him. He clearly had not known how much his son was hiding from him. He didn't know how much his son was hurting. It took this woman to open his son's heart just enough to see that the feelings that were frightening him were okay. Sonny would make it his business to see that his little boy felt secure, but more than that, he wanted his son to know that no matter what, he would be there for him. Sonny closed the distance between himself and the love of his life and wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank you, Alexis. Thank you for helping my son." He quickly let go because if he held her any longer he would not have been able to control his emotions and he was getting a little tired of his lack of control lately.

"Okay, everybody. How about we have a picnic?"

They were all laughing and having a good time. So far it had been a good day. Alexis was sitting off to the side a few steps away from Johnny who was talking to Sonny about who knew what. She noticed Michael shyly step closer to her. She could see that he wanted to ask her a question.

"Hey, little guy. What's up?"

"What if I lose it?"

"Lose what, sweetheart?" It suddenly dawned on her what he was talking about. But before she could answer she felt Johnny sit down beside her.

Johnny reached behind him and took his wallet out of his pocket. He overheard Michael's question. Johnny pulled his card out of his pocket and showed it to Michael.

Michael's eyes widened as he saw what Johnny held in his hand. He couldn't believe it. He reached into his own pocket and pulled his card out to make sure they were the same.

He looked up at Johnny. "You got one too?" he asked in amazement.

"Yes I do, Michael. And you just remember one thing, if you ever need your card and you can't get to it, you can always use mine."

Johnny had just provided Michael with a bridge to Alexis. Johnny had always been in his life and as far as his little mind could comprehend always would be. Johnny would help him get to Alexis if he ever needed her.

Michael shoved his card back into his pocket and trotted off. Finally completely secure with those around him.

Alexis again was having trouble with her water works and threw up her hands in complete frustration. "You guys are killing me. Am I going to have to strap a box of tissue to my waist from now on around you two?"

Sonny stepped closer and laid his hand on Johnny's shoulder. "Thanks, man." It was all he could give Johnny and Johnny didn't want any more than that.

Sonny looked at his watch knowing that Alexis needed to have some time to herself to prepare for what lay ahead of her. He turned and called Michael back to him.

"Son, I believe you and I have somewhere to be this afternoon."

Michael didn't know what Sonny was referring to and he really didn't want to leave the roof. He was having too much fun. His little heart hadn't felt this free in a long time and he was enjoying himself.

"Well, Michael, I could call the launch Skipper and cancel our boat ride if you want." Sonny was ready, he knew Michael was about to launch himself into his dads arms. "Yippee. See ya later guys. Come on dad."

Sonny looked at Alexis before turning to go. "Call me just as soon as it's over." Without taking his eyes from Alexis he turned his words toward Johnny. "Johnny, she's my life take care of her."

"Right boss." Johnny had no intention of doing anything else, but he knew Sonny needed to say the words anyway.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Alexis and Johnny sat in silence for a few minutes after Sonny left with Michael. They both knew they were about to ride into a storm and needed to mentally prepare for it. As if reading each other's mind, they stood up, took hold of each others hand and headed back toward the penthouse.

It was exactly 4:00 when they heard her knock on the door. It actually sounded like an assault on the door rather than a knock. Johnny looked at Alexis gave her a smile, winked at her and left to go to the bedroom as they discussed earlier. Johnny never actually entered the bedroom; he stayed just out of sight, not willing to go any further away from Alexis than he had to.

Alexis went to the door and opened it. Carly was wild and out of control. Alexis grabbed the door to keep from being knocked down as Carly busted into the room screaming at the top of her lungs, "Who the hell are you and what do you have to do with my husband?"

Alexis very quietly closed the door and followed Carly into the living room. She had changed from her casual attire and was now dressed in her favorite power suit and if Carly had enough sense to take in the total air that exuded from Alexis, she would have known from the moment she entered the penthouse that she had already lost.

"As I told you, Mrs. Corinthos, in the park the other day. I am your husband's attorney and I am representing him in his desire for a divorce from you and sole custody of your son."

"If you think that you can walk into this town and take from me what I've fought so hard for then you aren't as smart as you pretend to be. Sonny will not get a divorce from me and you had best stay away from my son if you know what's good for you."

"Mrs. Corinthos, this whole problem can be resolved very simply and very quickly, but if you choose not to handle it in that manner then believe me I can make it very difficult for you."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No, I am simply telling you that I have more options right now than you do. I have had an investigator watching your every move for the last two weeks. I know who you've spoken to, I know every place you've been, I know how much money you've spent and I know what you've spent it on. I also know every phone call you've made and have recorded tapes of each of them. I know how many men you've slept with and have photos to back it up. I know that you have'nt set eyes on your son in two weeks other than maybe catching a glimpse of him in the park a couple of days ago. Need I go on?"

Alexis watched Carly's face go from black anger to, fear, and back to anger again. She also noticed that Carly had slipped into a self-preservation mode. And that is what Alexis was waiting for and why she wanted Johnny in the other room. Carefully watching Carly, she didn't wait for a response.

"I further know that you have spent the better part of the last two days looking for Jason Morgan and Zander Smith. You won't find them. They were arrested 3 days ago."

Alexis saw Carly reach for her purse and just as she was pulling her hand out of it recognized what she held. Carly was pulling out a gun.

"Carly, you don't want to do that. If you kill me, you will loose twice in one day." Carly had her back to the bedroom door and didn't notice Johnny coming up behind her.

She screamed in pain as Johnny took hold of her arm, forced it behind her back and wrenched the gun out of her hand. He caught her neck and slowly began to strangle her.

Seeing what Johnny was doing, Alexis stepped forward. "Johnny, let her go."

He didn't respond so she stepped closer and laid her hand gently on his arm.

"Johnny?"

He slowly turned his head toward her without loosening his hold and met her gaze.

"Johnny, let her go."

As he relaxed his hold around her throat, he heard Carly gasp for air. Looking back at the filth he was holding he shifted his hold on her and literally threw her into the chair a few steps away.

"Don't give me a reason to kill you. You know me; you know I'll do it. For your own sake, you best listen very carefully and very quietly while Miss Davis finishes with you."

"Thank you, Johnny. Would you please take a seat on the sofa while we wrap this up. Mrs. Corinthos, I have here a list of the charges the police can file against you at this moment. If you would like to see them..."

Alexis handed Carly the list and watched the color fade from her face.

"You can't prove any of this."

"I can and have. Both Jason and Zander have a similar list filed against them and as I have already told you, they have been arrested. The only reason you haven't been is because of your son."

"What do you mean, my son. What's he got to do with this?"

"Mr. Corinthos, because of Michael, is giving you a way out of this mess. He doesn't believe it to be in the best interest of the child to know that his father sent his mother to prison. So he is giving you a choice. You can either sign those divorce papers relinquishing any ties you have to Mr. Corinthos and Michael Corinthos or you can go to jail. The choice is yours."

Looking from Alexis to Johnny she arrogantly stood up. "It doesn't look like I have much of a choice, does it?" Carly knew she had been beaten. She knew she would go to prison if she didn't sign the papers. "Where's the pen?"

The only way Johnny could tell that Alexis was satisfied with the way things were going was the small twitch her mouth made as she handed Carly a pen.

Carly signed the divorce papers, stood up and glared at Alexis. "Am I through here?"

"Not quite yet, there's just one more item of business we need to deal with." Alexis reached behind her and picked up the envelope that lay on the table. She handed it to Carly.

"This is a restraining order. You are not to be found within 100 yards of Michael Corinthos. If you are, you will be promptly arrested. Is that understood?"

"You bitch, you can't keep me from seeing my son." Carly reached up and grabbed Alexis by the wrist and twisted it painfully. Her anger was so hot and quick she forgot Johnny was still in the room.

Johnny stood abruptly. He was not going to allow this piece of trash to talk to Alexis that way much less lay a hand on her. He picked her up bodily and slammed her against the wall holding her there as her feet dangled unable to make contact with the floor. He could feel Alexis hand on him trying to restrain him.

"Johnny if you hurt her I'll lose you. Don't. Please."

Johnny slowly released her and stepped back.

"Carly, I would suggest you watch your language. Whether you are capable of recognizing it or not you are in the presence of a lady and I will not allow you to speak to her in that manner. And for the record, if you ever lay a hand on her again, I'll kill you."

Carly looked toward Johnny and saw that he wasn't bluffing. She sent Alexis a venomous look.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, Mrs. Corinthos, it is."

She watched as Carly turned and slammed her way out of the penthouse. Alexis, took a deep breath and found the nearest chair to fall into. She had turned white as a sheet. Alexis had been on the receiving end of such threats before, but she thought that she had finally gotten to a place in her life where she could handle it. But Carly, within the space of seconds, brought back the terror that Alexis thought was finally locked away. What frightened her the most was the moment Carly grabbed her wrist she recalled a memory from her past. The memory of someone who still held the ability to destroy her whether she wanted to admit it or not. Alexis, felt such an intense fear at that moment that she started to tremble.

Johnny saw Alexis drop into the chair and saw the fear come over her. He dropped to his knees beside her and put his arms around her. What he felt going through her body took his mind back to a time he wanted to forget. He remembered holding his own little sister like this feeling the same trembling in her small body. Johnny couldn't help himself. He began to cry. "Lexie, little Lexie. Come back. I need you here." He was stroking Alexis' hair as he called out to his little sister. He couldn't tell which sister he was calling out to anymore, all he knew was the terror that was gripping him. Would he have to relive it all? Was he going to lose another sister?

Alexis was jolted back to the present by Johnny's cries and turned to him. She had never before seen such agony on anyones face before. Her heart went out to him. "Johnny? Johnny? Its okay...its me. Its Alexis. Hey, I'm okay." She reached out to cup his face in the palms of her hands and continued to soothe him with her words until she knew she connected with him.

He looked into her eyes to make sure for himself that she was ok and once he realized she was, he gently laid his head on her shoulder and allowed her to comfort him. He felt her hands rubbing his back and the more she did, the more he relaxed until he completely regained control of himself.

Alexis held her brother in her arms for as long as he needed her to. When she finally felt him move away she once again placed her hands on his face to look into his eyes. "Johnny, you and I are eventually going to have to sit down and talk. We both have stories that need to be told. If we are going to stand together against the world... don't you think it best know each other well enough to know what war weapons we'll need to slay the monsters of the world?"

"Yea, Lexie. You're right. But, not tonight, okay? I need a breather from all this serious stuff. Can we deal a few hands of poker instead?"

Alexis laughed long and hard. She so loved this man. "You get the cards and I'll go call Sonny."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"Sonny? It's Alexis. It's over. It's all over. Carly signed just a few moments ago."

"What about Jason?"

"There was so much going on today, that I thought I would wait until I knew what Carly was going to do before I told you the rest. Jason signed this morning."

She heard the catch in Sonny's voice and waited for him to process the fact that he was now Michael's legal sole guardian. She had been calling him Michael's father all along to get him used to it. There was no doubt in her mind what the outcome would be. But, the fact of the matter was, Sonny was Michael's guardian, not his father. There was only one way to accomplish that. And she would discuss it with him later that night.

"Can I come by and thank you properly?"

In her mind she recalled what Carly's threat against her and Johnny's reaction to it; and as much as she wanted to see Sonny, needed to see him, she felt that Johnny needed her more right now.

"Sonny, I need to spend a few hours with Johnny first. Something happened while Carly was here that affected us both pretty strongly. And before, you go getting weird on me... were both fine. We just need a little time to deal with it. We'll tell you about it when you get here at 8:15. Okay?"

Sonny then remembered her nightly ritual, which now included Johnny. He knew by the sound of her voice that she was okay and just needed some time. He put aside his envy of Johnny and allowed her to have the space she needed.

"Okay, that's fine. I'll see you at 8:15 sharp. Take care and call if you need anything. I love you."

"Thank you, Sonny. And Sonny..."

"Yea"

"I love you, too."

She hung up and went to join Johnny for a couple of hours of poker. They did not discuss what happened with Carly, they didn't discuss their past, they didn't talk about anything serious. They simply played cards and had a good time with each other. And as the clock neared 7:30 Johnny looked up from the Royal Flush in his hand, to the $50 pot between them and folded. He stood, took her hand and together they went up to the roof.

Johnny knew that as unusual as this ritual of hers was to him he wanted to be a part of it. But, he also knew that it had been a hard day for Alexis. As he opened the door to the roof, he squeezed her hand and let it go. He wanted her to have time alone with her mother if she needed it. To be able to release the tensions of the day without prying eyes. She looked back at him and studied him to see what he was thinking.

How could he know that as much as she wanted him here with her, she also needed time alone with her mother tonight? She reached up and kissed his cheek and walked toward the railing.

He watched her walk away. Tonight, she wasn't as sure of herself. He could see the droop in her shoulders from the weight she was caring. He stood silently and prepared himself just in case she needed him. As he watched her progress through the ritual he gradually saw her shoulders straighten and her head come up. She was releasing into her mothers care all of the worries of the day and she was coming out from under it all.

After a few moments, Sonny saw her look back and reach out her hand to him. He went to her and put his arm around her waist and felt hers go around him. As he looked down into her face, he knew she once again gained comfort from her mother. He sighed deeply as he felt her rest her head on his shoulder. And for the first time in many years, Johnny felt at peace. They stood there for a time together not really wanting to break the silence or the cocoon of peace that surrounded them but Johnny knew his little sister needed to see Sonny. So he very gently turned around with her without breaking contact and began to lead her back downstairs. And just before, he closed the door to the roof behind him; he looked again toward the horizon and whispered, "Thank you."

By the time they got back downstairs, Sonny had arrived bringing a full course meal with him. They all sat down at the table and for a few silent minutes enjoyed each others company and fed their physical hunger. Finally, Sonny couldn't stand it any longer.

"Will one of you tell me what went on today?"

And Johnny, as only Johnny could, told Sonny.

"Carly pulled a gun on Alexis this afternoon."

"WHAT?" Sonny stood so abruptly the back of his legs sent his chair flying across the floor.

Alexis looked at Johnny with half a grin and retorted, "Couldn't you have found a less dramatic way of saying it?"

"HEY, do either of you guys see me standing here?"

Alexis stood up and looking at Sonny with love and amusement questioned him.

"Do you see any bullet holes here? See any blood at all? Johnny took care of it. I'm fine, h'es fine, were all fine. Calm down."

Alexis saw the fear in his eyes, she saw the love, but she couldn't address it right then because Johnny was still here.

Johnny watched the exchange and knew he needed to get out of there. So he rose and began walking toward the door when he heard Alexis stop him.

"Wait Johnny, before you go I need one more thing from you. Both of you wait right here for a moment."

Alexis went to her bedroom and pulled an envelope out of her briefcase. As she stared at it, a smile grew on her face. She hoped she wasn't out of line on this one, she really didn't think she was though.

But, you could never tell with a man like Sonny.

As she walked back into the room, both men looked up from their conversation. Alexis knew Johnny filled Sonny in on the events of the afternoon, at least those that pertained to the legal business, and Sonny looked reassured that everything was ok.

"Sonny, ever since you walked into my office a little more than two weeks ago, you have referred to Michael as your son and I have allowed it because I wanted you to know that I fully believed everything would turn out in our favor. But, you know that you are not Michael's father legally. You are his guardian. Everything that happened today sealed the fact that Michael belongs to you now permanently. But, I don't think you're going to be satisfied with just being his guardian."

The longer Alexis talked the more agitated she saw Sonny getting and the more agitated Sonny got, the more uneasy Johnny became. She reached over and laid her hand on Johnny's arm to reassure him and at the same time slid the envelope she carried in with her over to Sonny.

Sonny hesitantly opened the envelope and began to read the document enclosed. He immediately saw what it was, laid it down and dropped his head onto his arm to hide his face from Johnny. He did not want Johnny to see his face. Johnny again started to leave, but Alexis couldn't let him yet. She still needed him. She walked around the table and bent over Sonny. She placed her hand on his arm...

"The only reason I need Johnny here is to sign his name as a witness. If this is what you want, I'll give him a pen and we can let the poor guy go. He's miserable sitting over there."

Sonny didn't raise his head, he simply caught her hand with his free one and handed her the document with his other. Sonny still couldn't look up.

Alexis disengaged herself from Sonny and turned to Johnny.

"Johnny, in order for this document to be legal, it must be signed by a witness. But, that witness has to know what he is signing and has to be in complete agreement with the document." She looked back at Sonny who still had his head down.

"This is a contract of adoption that will legally make Sonny Michael's father..."

Before she could finish explaining it to Johnny he growled, "Give me a pen and let me get out of here."

Johnny took the contract in his hand and without ever looking at Sonny very decisively signed his entire name where Alexis pointed. _John Mitchell Cassadine_.

"Can I go now?"

Alexis kissed his cheek, took the contract, folded it and sent the poor guy on his way. She was too intent on Sonny to watch Johnny sign his name and as she watched Johnny leave she turned back to Sonny.

Sonny finally looked up at her and took both of her hands in his kissing each one. He turned back to the document picked it up with great care. He began reading it again and stopped suddenly. He looked back up at her with a mixture of awe and wonder. He noticed the date on the document. The document dated back to two weeks ago, the morning he left her to come back to Port Charles.

"Did you really do this two weeks ago?"

"Yes, I told you. I'm good at what I do."

"Lady, you sure are. But, right now, I want to know what else you're good at."

Alexis allowed Sonny to lead her into the bedroom and quietly shut out the world as he set about proving to this beautiful woman just how much he did love and need her. This was their moment; all others would be measured by this one moment in time.


End file.
